Love Object

This movie goes into a little visited horror neighborhood: the realm of the creepy living mannequin. Up to this point, the best examples of this type of thriller would be Woody from "Fear" and "Pin" but Robert Parigi manages to deliver a more complex story than either of those films.

This creepy flick has a wonderfully depraved sensibility and seems to be marching to the tune of Roman Polanski's "Repulsion". Acting is solid throughout, and even Rip Torn seems restrained from his normal cartoonish antics. Rather than going for jump scares, this movie goes for a slow build of dread and suspense. There are a couple of good cringes in the movie, and it's definitely worth a watch.

An young, terminally shy young man by the name of Kenneth (Desmond Harrington) is working for a Major Computer Company. His life is about to change, when his boss (Rip Torn) offers him a big bonus if he could make the changes of a complicated computer system. Usually Kenneth works alone but his boss makes him work with an young attractive woman by the name of Lisa (Melissa Sagemiller). Then Kenneth's Co-Workers (Brad William Henke & John Cassini) shows a Picture of a Photo-Realistic Sex Doll.

Then Kenneth finds this Sex Doll fascinating. So he decides to order the Sex Doll by bringing out his shyness towards woman. Also Kenneth has a crush on his co-worker Lisa. Once he receives the Sex Doll-Nikki, Kenneth makes the doll dress like Lisa and almost having a realistic romantic relationship with the doll. The one morning, Kenneth is completely changed and he can't tell from reality. Thinking that Nikki is alive in his mind. Kenneth has to find out, what is best for him. Is it the sex doll-Nikki or His attractive co-worker.

Written and Directed by Robert Parigi made a clever darkly funny thriller. Which this is Parigi's first film. Harrington gives an outstanding performance as Kenneth. Sagemiller is Cute as his beautiful co-worker (Sex-Doll Nikki from the Film is actually model after her). Cult Star:Udo Kier also has a bit part as the landlord.

This extremely low budget production was filmed in 18 days. This film is extremely well directed. This was Originally a Direct to Video Project but it got briefly released in theaters and film festivals. The Film won different awards from Three Festivals including tree for the director:Parigi for Intertional Critics Award, Premiere Award and Best Original Screenplay at the Gérardmer Film Festival and Malaga Intertional Week of Fantastic Cinema. Hannington won for Best Actor at the Malaga Intertional Week of Fantastic Cinema. Film Composer:Nicolas Pike won the Elmer Bernstein award at the Woodstock Film Festival.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an great-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD has two commentary tracks from the Cast and the Director:Parigi. DVD also has Four Featurettes, which they are entertaining. This film will go on to be a Cult Favorite. The film is a bit familiar to Lucky McKee's Underrated Black Comedy-May. This is a very good and unusual film. Great music score by Nicolas Pike (Stephen King's Sleepwalkers). One of the film's Executive Producers is Edward R. Pressman (Conan:The Barbarian, The Crow, Wall Street). (****/*****).

Oh, Kenneth, Kenneth, Kenneth (Desmond Harrington). What a loser. Hiding in the closet to listen to your neighbor have sex when the new girl (Melissa Sagemiller) is just as lonely as you. Step up there, boy, and get some action.

Kenneth decides to try something different. A $10,000 plastic doll. Yep, they are real (On sale at http://ultradolls.com/).

Kenneth's relationship with the doll reflects his real feeling for Lisa (Sagemiller), and soon he has enough nerve to make a move. But, as things progress with Lisa, he starts imagining that his doll is jealous and, after a bad night with Lisa, he takes a drastic and horrible step.

This is when things gets really weird, and exciting at the same time. He snaps completely and just when we think he is toast, he manages to have heaven intervene and save him. I can't say more than that without giving away the plot, but it certainly was well done.

Rip Torn was great as his boss, and Udo Kier played an excellent role.

Looking for more from first time writer/director Robert Parigi.

Love Object is a truly unique piece of horror. It's an unsettling film about a lonely guy who takes an unnatural liking to a "real doll." It's basically an ultra-realistic blow up doll...and very creepy I might add. But, when Kenneth falls in love with the new girl at work the doll does not take the news so well. I really don't want to go into the plot details here because the movie is kind of a slow burn that only works once (I've went back and watched it again and it's just not as interesting the second time). The ending is still fantastic though. What makes it work so well are the performances of Desmond Harrington and Melissa Sagemiller. Harrington is one brave actor; not at all afraid to just go for it. I can't imagine too many actors tackling this role. And Sagemiller is really putting herself out there as well. Rip Torn and Udo Kier put in some fun character work too. I recommend viewing Love Object at least once to see there are still good movies being made that don't get a wide theatrical release. A word of warning to the director though: people HATE alarm clocks and the sound that they make. I take away some points for the use of alarm clocks.

My skepticism was expecting a gender reversal of Child's Play.

After seeing the flick it struck me as somewhere near the realm of Secretary, ReAnimator & American Psycho. It throws a humorous light on professional / emotional duality & the creepy perversions generated by repressed emotions.

Shot in 18 days & under a million $ this film is an excellent example of how a quality story, well executed, can easily be more entertaining than a star studded formulaic attempt at a blockbuster for a fraction of the cost. Film studios could make & market hundreds of films like this for the cost of a single Waterworld or Matrix Sequel. Introducing a fresh crowd of talent to the public & a higher grade of story to bored audiences.

A visually tasteful & cleverly executed film.