Dear Mr. Gacy

The life story of Jason Moss is at least as intriguing – and slightly disturbing - as that of the people he dedicated his life researching… Imagining the depressing and harsh subject matter he dealt with continuously, I can more or less comprehend why he committed suicide at the age of 31, even though there isn't any actual indication that his work directly or indirectly led him to end his own life. Well before reaching the age of 20, Moss corresponded with several notorious serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Henry Lee Lucas and John Wayne Gacy. It was the latter with whom he corresponded the most intimately and published a book about his experiences, entitled "The Last Victim". "Dear Mr. Gacy" is the – reputedly very faithful – adaptation of this book and atmospherically unfolds how the ambitious 18-year-old Moss seeks contact with Gacy, only a couple of months prior to his execution, in order to deliver an accurate school thesis on the subject of "inside a serial killer's mind". Gacy was a homosexual and pedophile, convicted for the murder of 33 adolescent males, and thus Jason Moss' profile immediately raised his interest. They began to communicate through letters, later telephone calls and the two even met face to face shortly before John Wayne Gacy got executed through lethal injection. The film contains a handful of strong moments and a truly powerful performance by William Forsythe as Gacy, but overall seen, this isn't a hidden gem or even highly memorable thriller. Perhaps this is because you unintentionally compare it to the vastly superior "Silence of the Lambs" and "Seven", due to the element of interaction with a serial killer, but mainly it's because the screenplay is so ordinary and doesn't contain anything surprising or even remotely unusual. The bond between Moss and Gacy develops so damn predictable! Of course you know that the young criminology student gets way more than he bargained for when trying to provoke one of the most diabolical individuals of the planet. Of course you can predict that someone like Gacy, in spite of being behind bars and knowing his execution nears, can still easily manipulate and terrorize his newly found pen pal. And of course you can guess that Gacy's influence over Jason Moss becomes so strong and dangerous that his own private life narrowly gets ruined. Some of the sub plots are rather irrelevant, like Moss seeking contact with a victim that survived his encounter with Gacy several years ago, supposedly to ask for "advise" on how to confront him?!? Is it me or is this just totally inappropriate? Svetozar Ristovski's direction skills can only be referred to as neutral and the only true standout of this film is – naturally – Forsythe's stellar performance as John Wayne Gacy. William Forsythe is one of those rare character actors who has the ability to petrify you simply through his charisma and voice. Also given his resemblance to the real Gacy, especially at later age, I couldn't have imagined anyone else suitable for the role.

I was afraid for this flick for two reasons, is is said to be based on a true event, the John Wayne Gacy story and it was made by the producers of "Monster (2003)" another flick based on a true event (serial killer Aileen Wuornos). Monster did follow how it all happened so there it couldn't go wrong but on the part op Gacy there are so many flicks about him that aren't correct. Some did exploit his part as Pogo The Clown and let him do killings dressed as a clown, it never happened that way. But still the best flick about Gacy is To Catch A Killer (1992) and let the performance of Brian Dennehy in that particular flick being the best Gacy so far.

So with some prejudice I watched it. And I must say that I really enjoyed this flick. The title says Dear Mr Gacy but isn't really about Gacy. This flick is more about Jason Moss, a student who gets in contact with Gacy and gets obsessed with him. What happens with Jason is shown in this flick. To be honest, only two actors are in this flick and made this flick. First is Jesse Moss who plays Jason Moss and he did it in a perfect way. But he surely knew his stuff been in Final Destination 3, Ginger Snaps and the gem Tucker And Dale vs Evil. What he did here is really well done. Gacy is played by another famous horror actor William Forsythe. I have met the guy and yes he has that look in his eyes as seen in Halloween the remake and The Devils Reject. Both carry this flick.

It is filed under horror but I shouldn't say that it fits there. It's more a drama especially due what happened to Jason's life. But Svetozar Ristovski as director did well to keep you attracted to the screen. Naturally the whole true event is pure horror but I recommend this to everyone. It do has some news reel in the beginning and at the end some news reel about Jason. It really got into me, a sad story but one to watch. No special effects pure talking and still it gets you...as Gacy did. And William gets really close to Brian's Gacy performance.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 5/5 Comedy 0/5

It's surprising that the substantial bulk of serial killer movies has yet to render anything really compelling about one of its most complex and twisted subjects --- John Wayne Gacy. The sheer number of accredited murders combined with the episodic series of cat and mouse plays throughout the convicted child killer/rapist's life would seem to be quite juicy fodder.

And yet, all we really have to show for it are two sub-par outings (a passable TV procedural starring Brian Dennehy and a really awful feature with hammy unknown Mark Holton). And then comes "Dear Mr. Gacy" which --- if you're not aware of its extremely factual basis --- almost sounds like a bad joke.

Crime student Jason Moss (Jesse Moss) embarks on an almost masochistic journey into fear and loathing by establishing a communication with the killer during his last months on earth at Illinois' Menard prison. His idea (and it IS a clever one) is to establish himself as a textbook victim that Gacy will have no choice but to lure into his web, granting Moss a first-hand look into the delusional self-aggrandizing psychopath's mind for his college Criminology term paper.

It's a scenario almost tailor made for a movie script because, as we all know by now in films, if you want something that badly, the worst thing that can happen is that you get it, and Moss does. He also finds himself playing a little too perfectly into Gacy's hypnotic spell, which is complemented by all the right situational elements of his own life --- boredom with his girlfriend, resentment of his controlling mother, subtle contempt for his passive brother's victim-hood at the hands of the school bully.

The weakest link here is Jesse Moss, and that's only very rarely. Mostly his performance is very good, though there are a few times it's hard to believe his reactions wouldn't be a bit more emotional after some of Gacy's truly threatening phone tirades. William Forsythe is a great actor and never more disturbing than in this role...he's the creepiest Gacy by far, expertly channeling his voyeurism with subtle bullying and manipulation, then morphing it into the "caring" love of a protective father figure, shifting on a dime. It's hard to know if his self-proclaimed stance as "king of the roost" at Menard is reality or in his head. His paintings were fetching a handsome sum near the end of his life, he had a cell with a view, TV, plants, and he could paint and smoke Cuban cigars smuggled in by guards who addressed him half-jokingly as "boss." Forsythe is a virtual cypher in the role, disappearing effortlessly into it, and leaving you very queasy in the process.

All in all, DMG is an intense, fun ride you won't forget. If it had a broader scope, it might just be the definitive Gacy biopic, but it probably wouldn't be as outright compelling, either. What's probably most disturbing about this particular story is what happened to the real Jason Moss, in the end. Be careful what you wish for, indeed.

Jason Moss (Jesse Moss) is a normal college kid. Serial killer John Wayne Gacy is appealing his conviction, and Jason wants to do a paper on him. Jason starts to do research. Then he exchange letters and phone calls. He begins to change and becomes more than just a pen pal. More and more he's becoming a protégé and his next victim.

Jesse Moss is a reasonable actor who could be an everyday college student. The pace is slow due to the fact that the kid and Gacy don't go face to face until close to the end. When that meeting occurs, the intensity goes off the charts. William Forsythe is incredibly creepy and threatening. That one scene makes up for the rest of the movie.

This is a difficult movie to watch. I rented it over the holiday week for entertainment.

I felt the movie draws the viewer into the emotional sea of conflict and any flick that can do that, in my estimation is superior.

Certain parts are very difficult because they deal with sexuality , ciminiality and morals all at once.

The flick should not be rejected simply because it might to thought to be anti-gay. There were parts that I thought could pander to homophobic people.

I would recommend it and advise imagine you are 18 years old and dealing with a psychological experiment where you become the bait for the vampire.