Writer/director Justin McConnell and Uncork’d Entertainment brings you the much-anticipated bio-thriller Lifechanger, coming to VOD for the new year with Raven Banner Entertainment. This twisted and melancholy body horror tale features an extremely varied and talented cast, who create one fascinating performance. From the press release:
“Drew has an identity problem. Every few days, has to shape-shift, or face a painful death. He has to find someone and make a copy. He takes everything: their looks, memories, hopes, and dreams. Their entire life. He becomes them, and they die horribly. Enter Julia, the object of Drew’s affection. How can he make things right when he’s never the same person for very long? How do you gain back trust when who you are keeps changing? Part psychological thriller, part body horror, Lifechanger follows one shape-shifters’ twisted quest to repair the damage he’s caused, while leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
…Lora Burke, Jack Foley, Elitsa Bako, Sam James White, Steve Kasan, Rachel Vanduzer, Peter Higginson, Adam Buller, Brian Quintero, Mark Rainmaker, Ry Barrett, Michelle D’Allesseandro Hatt, Uche Ama, Daniel Faraldo, and Francesco Filice star.”
Quite a cast of thousands, right? Now let me tell you that most of them play the same person. Yeah. You watch the character of Drew chomp his way through unsuspecting person after person as his body decays faster and faster. What is a very delicate balance of a plot device though is handled deftly by every. Single. Person. I’m talking a whole cast of engrossing performances, and each one is just as unique as the last. It is unheard of to have such a large cast be able to pull something so unbalanced off. But every character becomes endearing in their own way, and McConnell is able to achieve character development and pathos for each. Instead of a heartless killer you are met with the guilt-riddled Drew, who hates what he is and what he must do to survive. With each person he becomes, you see his psyche fracture and split a little more from the weight of it, and it strangely makes your heart ache for him.
It is not lost on me that the movie is set in Toronto and is steeped in dark body horror. Canadian treasure David Cronenberg is clearly an inspiration for Lifechanger, as it is not a cut and dry body horror gorefest, but deals with the underpinnings beneath such an existence. Top it with the cherry that is Drew’s obsession with a long lost love (Burke,) and you now have a little stalker action to sweeten the sorrow. As Bill Oberst Jr. narrates and attempts to gently excuse himself from his actions as the voice of the omniscient “Drew” of it all, you are forced to think of your own insecurities, and the crushing loneliness of such a life.
The most bittersweet of any elements in the film revolve around Burke and Jack Foley, who plays Robert. As Robert, this is the last body Drew inhabits before the final climax sequence of the film, and the light-hearted couple makes you sad for both of them. You know it will end in tragedy, and there is no hope for them, yet their chemistry and easy relationship with one another has you rooting for some unseen hope that maybe things will turn out for the crazy kids.
Lifechanger hits the mark on the shape-shifting tropes you would expect without losing intensity or pace, and gives a heart to the monster. No matter how rotted that heart may be.
Check out Lifechanger on VOD January 1, 2019. And be careful who you go home with on New Year’s Eve…
