“Starsuckers” is a very, very strange movie, and I mean that as a compliment because there really isn’t much else out there quite like it. Brett M. Butler and Jason Butler have made an uncomfortably dark, candy-coated satire about celebrity worship that is outrageously twisted, gory, sexually charged, and downright bizarre.
When an influencer couple (Manon Ens-Lapointe, James Alex) invites their most devoted superfan couple (Jersey Anderson, Jacob Stickles) to an intimate weekend retreat, they have a secret intention to turn them into the centerpiece of their next viral reinvention. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan, and the weekend devolves into a nasty little battle of egos, manipulation, obsession, and the desperate need to be seen.
This film didn’t fully click with me, but what worked best are the characters. They’re weird, sometimes outrageous, and completely committed to the strange world this movie creates. The chemistry between the cast is terrific, and the performances feel perfectly suited to the material. There’s also a cheeky voiceover narration that immediately establishes the movie’s off-kilter personality and lets you know you’re not watching a conventional thriller.
The tone is probably going to be the biggest dividing line. There’s an unusual sensibility at play, bouncing between dark satire, horror, comedy, and something that feels like a deranged cousin of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” It’s bloody and twisted in a way that’s highly uncomfortable. You can see the filmmakers having fun with the excess, and there are moments when that anarchic energy really works. At the same time, the movie can be a little too much of a good thing, and its deliberately bizarre approach won’t connect with everyone.
I suppose there’s something refreshing about a film this unapologetically weird, and creativity always means a lot. “Starsuckers “ has a distinctive voice, some memorable characters, and a willingness to go places most indie movies wouldn’t even attempt. It may not completely come together, but I’d much rather watch something this strange and original than another polished movie that feels like it was assembled from familiar parts.
By: Louisa Moore
