Dear David

I was so looking forward to the movie version of this story for quite awhile. Glad I waited to watch it on a 7 day free trial of Starz because I would have asked for my money back if I saw it at the movie theater! And I want my free trial back! Lol..The original story that Adam Ellis put on Twitter (X) 😂) was so much better and creepier than the Hollywood version. I found it by accident and was glued to the entire thread. Read it as it plays out on Twitter because it has so many creepy chills even though we know it's fictional. I even liked the original backstory of David better that the movie version. Just don't even bother with the movie it'll be a complete waste of time.

A horror-movie, with at its core the (over)abundant use of social media, has an attractive 2020's touch to it. The critical edge is well done, we see the main character being absorbed by his cell phone, to the extent of neglecting his friends and even his lover; and we see how his social media company thrives on inventing new trending topics - however extreme or cringing - just to expand their bulk of followers.

But as an intended horror movie it fails. The premise is just too farfetched, and the execution too chaotic to make it really involving. Apart from a few creepy images, that flash by in an instant, there's hardly anything scary going on, and it's hard to get a grip on the supposed narrative. It's some sort of Candyman or Bye Bye Man "saying something three times" thing: in this case asking the supernatural internet troll a question three times, that does the trick of summoning a horrific fate unto yourself. But why this troll haunts the internet, or why Adam is chosen as a target, never becomes clear. The acting was just average. And it didn't really help that the Adam-character was rather sulky and unsympathetic, and not very pleasant to look at.

1. It's a BuzzFeed Studios original film, and BuzzFeed is a putrid pestilence, a blight on Internet's body that fuels the addiction to the "content" and boils people's brains. *a disgruntled Desperate Housewives character GIF*

2. The main character is a chubby, neck-bearded, latte-sipping, overly sensitive yet sarcastic gamer dude in his 30s, obediently serving the corporate by doing a laptop-ridden, "creative" job of drawing infantile, disposable comics. In other words, the very worst caricature of Millennials you could imagine. *a reality show Black woman cackling GIF*

3. The story is contrived, exploitative and unapologetically poorly-thought. *an Ad*

4. The dialogues are written by someone severely lacking real-life communication skills and experience. *an Andy Samberg "Gotcha!" GIF*

5. There's a scene where the main character (an adult man, in case you missed) hides under the blanket. *a Steve Harvey "WTF" GIF*

6. The CGI is ludicrous and amateur. *an Ad*

7. The scariest thing about Dear David is that it might be the last thing someone watched before dying. What a horrible way to go. *a creepy smiling Willem Dafoe GIF*

8. The script fails miserably to blend elements of horror, comedy and drama together, creating an uneven and borderline appalling mess.

9. The whole Twitter killer schtick died in 2014, when there was supposed to be a film called #ikllr, but even the director bailed on it and left it permanently unfinished. *a The Office "It's true" GIF*

10. Dear David is a cringe-inducing, shallow, vapid and downright miserable experience that no one deserves.

Related article: These 27 Twitter Threads Absolutely Do Not Need A Screen Adaptation.

Anybody that was on Twitter when this story was an active thread, will know it was an intriguing read.

Whilst this movie is "based" on those tweets, Adam Ellis supposedly had nothing to do with it as he left BuzzFeed years ago and according to him, they had the rights to all his work (including this story) If you're unfamiliar with the original story, maybe you will enjoy this non horror, drama based relationship movie. If you want to see the original Twitter feed he has moved it to Wakelet. It truely is a fascinating and creepy read.

This movie just had me questioning who tricked Justin Long into acting in another awful "horror" movie.

Don't pay to see it, wait til it's free.

I have to say I'm a little surprised by all the hate I found on the page regarding Dear David.

It's a fun movie, attacking a nice subject, one that isn't overused, has some moral weigth to it and a great ending. I especially liked the fact that it reminded me of In the mouth of Madness, that great paranoia feel, not knowing what is real and what is fake. Thus I feel obliged to recommend this one, because it is a lot better than the latter over hyped horrors that appeared. It isn't afraid to be real, raw and take it to the next level with solid scenes that make your skin crawl, but just a little indeed.

Overall Dear David was a nice experience for me, so I am going to advise any horror fan to give it a go. It's definitely a nice add on to the list and it is worth a view. I think I would have enjoyed this on the big screen honestly, because it relies a lot on tension and not jump scares, thus if the mood and surroundings are good, I think the movie will look a lot better. Also, seeing Justing Long on the screen in a horror is always a bonus!

Cheers!