Your Monster

The film left a deep impression on me, I watched it in one breath. I was amazed that this is the debut work of director Caroline Lindy; this is her first full-length film, and, as they say, the beginning is promising. The director has created a fascinating romantic comedy, where elements of musical and horror have merged. The main character goes through a series of painful trials - one tragic news replaces another. But, despite all the adversity, an inner desire to live and fight is born in her, and this is largely helped by the monster neighbor, who has been hiding in her closet for a long time. I will not reveal all the cards, let it remain a surprise for the audience. The film, filled with humor and an unexpected final twist, leaves behind emotions. I confidently give it a solid 7 out of 10.

I saw this as the Regal Mystery Movie on October, 21, 2024.

Laura Franco- Melissa Barrera-This is my first time seeing her and I got to say, it was a mixed bag. At first, I thought she did a great job of bring her characters pain and depression to life. But as the movie went on, it began to feel melodramatic. The amount of whining became almost unbearable. I will say that I greatly enjoyed the parts when she sang, especially in the finale.

Monster-Tommy Dewey - Now the monster doesn't have a real name, just Monster. Tommy Dewey plays the monster like a obnoxious frat boy who occasionally has moments of tenderness. Sure, he might read Shakespeare and play the piano, but he'll be back to burping and making a mess in no time. The Monsters speech mannerisms felt like a poor Ryan Reynolds/Deadpool impersonation most of the time. It really detracted from the performance. It felt like he was being sarcastic just to be sarcastic.

The supporting cast is full of generic stereotypical characters you would find in any romcom. None of their performances were very memorable. And frankly, almost everyone we meet is pretty unlikable.

Comparisons to Lisa Frankenstein are unfair. The only similarity I found between the two was a sad girl and a monster. While Lisa Frankenstein had a fully fleshed out plot with a very distinct style, Your Monster was more uneven and couldn't find its footing. It didn't lean into to its "claimed" genre of horror romcom. Any instances of horror were downplayed, often with a corny one liner afterwards. I feel like this movie being advertised as horror is a bait and switch. But its also labeled as a Romcom, or romantic comedy. And it was pretty light on the comedy too. There was some physical humor that was enjoyable. Like Laura just gorging herself on cookies and cake. Or having Monster scurry under the bed at nighttime.

The plot started out pretty strong. Melissa Barrera plays the role of depressed patient very well. Her performance felt real here. But as the movie dragged on, it felt like her character was actively refusing to grow. Why should I, the viewer, care about this character that seems unwilling to move forward?

The rest of the plot moves forward with a familiar tone. The pacing felt really slow. The film dragged between the movie pivotal scenes. There was also quite a bit of melodrama. She had this huge epiphany in the park, then she flounders! Like Get it together girl! When she FINALLY sets a plan in motion for revenge, the movie ends shortly after. (Spoiler) The love making scene was out of place, poorly shot, poorly acted, and nonsense. The characters were friendly not romantic and had ZERO chemistry.

Visuals were basic. Monsters face was stiff as a board, leading Tommy Dewey to over act to compensate. Monsters body hair was wildly inconsistent. Plus he looked like a Geico Caveman.

The best part of the movie was the finale at the Broadway play. It's too bad it took so long to get there and ended abruptly afterwards. Open-ended conclusion makes the audience guess.

This movie probably sounded a lot better on paper. A horror romantic comedy without the horror, romance, or comedy. A very middle of the road film, 5/10. Unremarkable.

--GremlinLord615 - Video version on YT.

I did not want to watch this film, at least in theaters. I was going to wait until it came out on streaming when, surprisingly enough, I went to AMC Screen Unseen for the first time, and it was the film they decided to play. It was not a bad first go around with this unique event, and I can not say it was a bad romcom. However, a lot is holding it back, but not enough to remove its charm.

To start the positives, Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey had great (most of the time) chemistry and delivered delightful performances as Laura and Monster. Without them, this film would have succumbed to the weight of steady flaws, but Barrera and Dewey carry it past the finish line.

The film was not that funny, despite being a romcom - come on - but there were many chuckle-worthy moments, and one that had me laughing.

I also thought they nailed the makeup of the beast and the costume and set designs, specifically when it came to the play Laura's ex-boyfriend, Jacob, put on. It was impressive, and Brielle Hubert, Sarah Dawn Hamlin, Matthew Simonelli, and the makeup department deserve credit.

The final positive I can give is that it has the charm visible from a mile away. It is the main reason I can appreciate the positives more than the negatives. No matter its issues, its heart is in the right place.

Even though I think it is a decent watch, the negatives are noticeable and still worth mentioning, but I will keep them as simple and sweet as possible, though I may come across as critiquing the movie more than it deserves - so you know.

First, despite Barrera's committed performance, Laura is not entirely compelling. She yells and whines many times throughout the film - granted, she is taking in her breakup with Jacob and a cancer diagnosis, but it becomes annoying within the first ten minutes. That sucks because Laura is the lead character, the person we need to be rooting for. She is also incredibly, somewhat unrealistically, naive to the fact that Jacob is Mr. Wrong, enough so that Monster calls out his evident flaws at multiple intervals.

Speaking of Monster, the relationship between him and Laura is unbalanced. By that, I mean, for the most part, they felt like bickering step-siblings than actual potential romantics. Moments are present where they felt like lovers, sometimes to the ridiculous extreme, and they truly stood out in a good way. Nevertheless, I was not impressed with how they executed their relationship.

Speaking of unbalanced, the movie as a whole is. It wants to be a cliched romantic comedy, sometimes a significant drama, other times serious romantic drama, and at parts, a horror film. Regarding the horror film angle, besides the makeup, Monster acts normal, outside of growling and throwing items. Why couldn't they do what "Lisa Frankenstein" did and never take the story seriously?

In conclusion, "Your Monster" is not a film you need to drop everything you are doing and see in theaters. It is easy to wait until streaming, but it may be worth watching if you like romantic comedies. I can classify myself as a fan of that genre, and even though I do not think it is the perfect trip to the movies, it is deeply flawed but unexpectedly charming.

Technically, the performances, the sets, the costumes, and the makeup of Monster make the technical score an easy 7/10.

Once again, it is not perfect. The enjoyment score I give it may not represent the fun it offers, but the flaws can be frustrating, and Laura is surprisingly annoying - or it could be because I was not expecting it to be the movie played at AMC Screen Unseen. However, Barrera and Dewey's chemistry saves it to the point the enjoyment score is a 6/10. Its problems are not effortless to overlook, but its appeal is undeniable.

Laura Franco is a young actress has hit rock bottom. She is diagnosed with cancer and her boyfriend breaks up with her "needing a break." After spending some time alone, she finds a long-haired monster living in her closest. Laura grows very close to this oddly charming monster as she lands a job at a play directed by her ex-boyfriend.

Saw this one for Melissa Barrera and it did not disappoint. In fact, Your Monster really surprised me. It takes three genres and combines them like a pro to create a heartwarming and twisted horror romcom. Watching Caroline Lindy's movie feels like watching a theater kid's dream and I loved it. The story is so entertaining between the adorable romance between Laura and Monster, the clever humor throughout the film, the juicy drama with the theater production and Laura dealing with Jacob, the twists that I surprisingly did not see coming and a really memorable ending. The atmosphere is so classy like watching an old school romcom with a neat gothic twist. I could easily see this being a great comfort movie for those dealing with bad breakups.

Speaking of which, Lindy does a great job capturing the cruelty and tragedy of a breakup when someone is going through their lowest moment. She also conveys that the actions of Laura's boyfriend were not okay and that she should stick up for herself in a very powerful way. This has got to be one of the meanest breakups I have seen in a movie and it shows that he was not gonna be there for her ever.

I also like how despite that Lindy shows that it maybe hard for someone who has been wronged to let go entirely. I am no expert on romantic relationships, but this got me thinking a bit about relationships.

The romantic relationship between Laura and Monster is absolutely adorable. They have a lot more in common than they think and watching their bond grow is effortlessly charming. At first, the relationship seemed very weird as Monster started out as unlikable but he grows on me as the film goes along and I can see why the two click so much better with their similarities and differences complimenting each other well. It helps that Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey share fantastic chemistry.

Another thing I liked is how they show that friendship requires more than just giving things and hanging out for a few minutes. Now there is twist with her, but in general, the movie encourages people to be better friends and not do the bare minimum. This movie surprisingly has a lot of solid things to say about the people around you and why spending more time with your friends is important.

Melissa Barrera as Laura Franco is so good in this movie. She plays the role of a brokenhearted woman perfectly with her expressions, dialogue delivery and her actions. Her rants against Jacob and Mazie are epic to watch. It is also really cool to see Barrera in a role like this that brings out some insecurities and frustrations making her performance even more authentic.

Tommy Dewey is a blast as Monster. His mannerisms, his casual speech to Laura when they first meet and his recitations of classic literature makes him very entertaining to watch. Dewey owns the role and he looks like he is having so much fun playing this strange creature every minute he is on screen.

Barrera and Dewey share delightful chemistry with each other. They look like they love being around each other every minute and they help make the bond between Laura and Monster so charming to watch. There is a lovely dance scene in particular is a beautiful showcase of their chemistry without a single line of dialogue.

Jacob as an antagonist or villain is probably one of my most hated characters of the year, but in a good way. Jacob represents everything that a boyfriend should never be and each scene he is in shows how much a horrible person he is and I already did not like him from the opening scene! Edmund Donovan does a fantastic job as this jerk and showing all of his unsavory traits while showing a few pleasant ones to hide his true nature. Donovan captures the entitled boss perfectly.

Mazie is another character that I did not like from the start, but the movie makes it clear that she is not a good friend to Laura. She tries to hype herself up as Laura's ride or die, but she always says she has to go somewhere when Laura needs her. Kayla Foster does a really good showing that energy that feels kind of fake. On the other hand, there is Jackie who seems like a mean girl at first, but turns out to be pretty likable and well-meaning. Meghan Fahy does a solid job as this character with a heart of gold. The cast is so great because everyone here feels so authentic in their roles.

Visually, the movie looks really neat. I really love the gothic setting between the diverse colors and the slick cinematography that balances between darkness and colorful. The costume designs are creative with the theater setting and the makeup on Tommy Dewey looks great. He probably has the perfect look for a romantic monster here.

The musical score by Timothy Williams is very enchanting with a nice mix of horror and whimsical energy. Not only that, but the songs in the movie are great. There are a lot of classy old songs throughout the film making the movie feel delightfully old-school at times. Barrera does not just deliver a great acting performance, but she also gets show her singing talents. Her voice is beautiful and her singing is excellent with the song "My Stranger." It makes me want to hear her sing in more movies or on her own.

Your Monster is such a lovely romantic comedy with horror elements. It is bursting with charm, creativity and laughs while having some really good commentary about friendship and relationships. I can see how personal this project is for director Caroline Lindy as she pours her heart and soul in every scene in this movie from Laura's experience to the personality of Monster. This is a very overlooked film and I highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of romcoms and want something fresh on the genre. Heck, I am not even a fan of romcoms, but this movie won me over!

After Laura fights for her life against cancer, despite Jacob's inability to stand by her side, she returns to the world all alone. Jacob has moved on from their dream of doing a Broadway together and has left Laura, forgetting all her contributions and support. Struggling to cope with the betrayal and isolation, Laura's childhood monster returns in her time of need. With his support, Laura stands up and fights for herself.

This dark, twisted romantic comedy is reminiscent of the classic imaginary friend movie Drop Dead Fred. The story is simple but has twists and turns that will keep the audience engaged. The comedy may not be funny to everyone, but those with dark humor will enjoy it. The movie starts slow and builds slowly, making the one-hour and thirty-eight-minute runtime feel longer than it is. This is an entertaining and unique watch, especially for the spooky season, but it needs to be better to be worth the ticket price. It could be a good one to add to the list to stream.