Loving Polly

I've been thinking about this film a lot since I've seen it for the first time. For a film with a really short runtime, I feel as if i got so much out of the film. Right from the beginning I felt this unease like I was terrible anxious of where this film was going to go. A couple friends recommended I watch this film, only telling me that it's extreme and doesn't hold back. And it really doesn't hold back at all. I felt as if I couldn't take anymore of it by the end of the film. This might seem like an over exaggeration to read this but, trust me, watch this movie! You'll understand. I felt shaky and weak by the time the credits started. There's a warning in the beginning that recommends you discontinue your viewing if you feel overly disturbed or triggered. I wish I took that into more consideration. The cruelty of the "torturer" is wicked and feels almost real. The performance of the lead actor is so bizarre and scary. It terrified me that someone like this character could very well be out there. This character, The Wolf, reminds me sort of like a creature swimming below you in murky water. You don't know what he'll do or when he'll strike. If you can visualize and understand my metaphor, then you can understand the type of scary I'm talking about. Aside from all that Loving Polly has technical flaws such as, choppy editing at times and camera focusing issues. Both of those flaws can be argued that it was done on purpose to create the unease, in which it is effective at times but, it can be a bit annoying more often than not. Also there are moments of poor audio and lighting, especially during the scene with Polly and her friend after the concert. The story, direction, and acting definitely outweigh its technical flaws. Loving Polly is a film about the destruction of the human spirit. There isn't a happy ending or a true resolution. This film is a real horror story told with a real life monster. John Theissen Jr.'s flawed masterpiece displays how brutal, grisly, and unforgiving humanity can truly be.

My new favorite thing to do with friends is to log on to Amazon and find really obscure horror films to watch. Last night we decided to continue our weekly tradition and came upon Loving Polly. We went in completely blind, not knowing anything about the film, director, or actors. Usually this tradition we have is a hit or miss and about 25 mins into the film we really could not believe what we stumbled upon. Loving Polly is by no means your average by the book horror film. This was waayyyy different than anything I could've imagined. It was brutal, unpredictable, and most of all terrifying. To say this movie was disturbing is putting it lightly. I don't want to spoil anything but I can assure you, you'll feel like you're immersed in a nightmare. The acting, direction, and cinematography is top notch for a film that doesn't have a large budget at all! All that aside I did feel that the beginning felt a bit messy but when it finds it's footing, it is wild in the best way possible. Also the original music was terrifying!

Is this allowed? Can they make movies like this?! The Mfer who made this is a crazy mfer! Is she ok? Is he ok? Why did I love this movie?! Am I ok? C'mon now!!!! I need more! I NEED-...actually I'm good. That was great. Don't need anymore. I think I'm gonna be sick now...

This is a top-tier amateur film. It tells an effectively horrific horror story with extreme limitations. You can tell they were working with whatever equipment the filmmakers could afford. John Theissen Jr. (the director, actor, writer, and composer) was only twenty-one when he made this film. To tackle this subject matter at such a young age has me concerned about the young man. Also, the fact that he had numerous roles in the making of this film is wild to me. His original score is effective in a way that it is haunting and tragic. HIS PERFORMANCE! His performance as The Wolf is absolutely horrific and is the best part of this movie. This isn't a movie to watch more than once but it will stick with me for a long while.

I don't think I've ever seen true insanity portrayed in such an almost "feral-like" way before on film. The lead performance is just really unsettling to watch and I mean that in the best way possible! It really has been a long time since I felt so much anxiety watching a movie and that's largely due to the lead actor's performance and the handheld cinematography style which brings a real sense of rawness to the film. The story is very chaotic, almost like a Safdie bros film and incredibly grim. Nothing that happens within the story is light, it's just pure dark horror throughout its 45 min runtime. The direction is also really bold and stylish which adds to that rawness, like I mentioned before. The film does have some technical flaws, for example, the warning title being cropped and poor audio at certain points but that can honestly be forgiven. LP is a rare breed of film that filmmakers are too afraid to make nowadays in our social climate. It's honest filmmaking and storytelling which is what we definitely need more of! With that being said, it isn't an easy watch and might trigger a lot of people but, at the end of the day it's an important film. Horrifying, but important! In other reviews I see people complaining about how there should've been more to the film but, I disagree. The length and the really simple plot is what makes this film feel so meaningful and real!