Love Object

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.

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 very cool, original film. Basic premise: Kenneth works at a company that writes owners manuals for products. He's the best in the biz but he has a big project coming up and his boss (played by the legendary Rip Torn) gets him an assistant. Kenneth doesn't want an assistant but the boss-man insists, and it turns out the assistant is kinda hot, so after a while, Kenneth doesn't mind quite so much. In fact, Kenneth starts to date the assistant, but Kenneth isn't all-together in the head. He buys a "real-life" sex doll to act out his fantasies on, and eventually the doll starts taking over his life, including talking to and stalking him. It just gets weirder from there, building to LOVE OBJECT's pretty cool climax. This is a strange little film that hasn't really gotten enough credit. It's well acted, kinda creepy, and very original. There's no real gore to speak of, so those looking for ultra-violence can pass this one up. But for something different, give this one a shot. This film kinda reminds me of the film MAY, in the fact that they're both small, strange films that most people either really like or really don't, with not much middle-ground. Personally, I like both and recommend taking a look at LOVE OBJECT 8/10

Love Object received an incognito release a few years back, and this is unfortunate as what we have here is a film that takes a very basic idea (albeit one that I've not seen used before) and crafts and inventive and somewhat frightening little film out of it. The only film really similar to this that I can think of is Lucky McKee's oddball gem 'May', which seems to be gaining more and more fans all the time; and this makes Love Object's releasing all the more unfortunate, as this is a film that could definitely win itself a dedicated cult following. The film focuses on Kenneth Winslow - he's an everyday guy with an everyday sort of job at a place that prints instruction manuals. His life takes a turn one day when his co-workers introduce him to Nikki - a lifelike doll on sale on the internet for a whopping $10,000. He decides to buy the doll, and after becoming acquainted with it - quickly falls in love. However, he's also starting to get on with his lovely female co-worker...and this 'upsets' his $10,000 plastic love object, leading to the emergence of a strange love triangle.

Going into this film; I was worried that the plot might not be able to stretch the running time - but there's enough else going on to ensure that Love Object doesn't become boring. The production values are high considering that this obviously wasn't a big budget film, and the acting is also rather good. The central performance is delivered by a shy looking Desmond Harrington, and he has good chemistry with his female co-star, Melissa Sagemiller. To the cult fan, however, the most interesting performance in the movie comes from Udo Kier - and while he's not really given the opportunity to make a big mark on the film, it's always good to see him. Rip Torn also plays a part, and along with Kier; makes the movie more memorable. Director Robert Parigi gets the audience into the film because the people in it are largely very realistic; the leads aren't overly good/bad looking and they don't have unlikely jobs, so the film is easy to get on with for normal people who have never spent any time with a sex doll. The film seems like it should have a point...but if there is one, I couldn't detect it. "Don't have sex with a rubber doll" is about the best I can do on that front. However, the film is interesting throughout and ends with a good twist...so Love Object definitely comes recommended.

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). (****/*****).