“He’s not scary, he’s gorgeous.”
In another movie, a darker more serious movie, a line like this by George about his new mysterious boyfriend Joe may be cause of interrogation. A moment of dialogue symbolic of the darker side of the gay sexual liberation where many men put the pursuit of sexual gratification before any clear and rational reasoning. Where the hunt for dick blinds us to the very real danger in front of our faces. But, like I said, that might be another movie. You’re Killing Me is not that movie.
That’s not to say this deliciously amusing gay horror comedy from director Jim Hansen isn’t saying anything. Quite the contrary, it actually has a lot to say about the shallowness that is prevalent within gay culture. But, first and foremost, You’re Killing Me is about entertainment. And in that it succeeds.
Jeffery Self co-writes and co-stars as George, a self-obsessed minor-scale web celebrity who is completely oblivious to his new boyfriend’s obvious predilection for murder. Joe, played by the extremely good looking (even when covered in buckets of gooey red stuff) Matthew McKelligon, is clearly unhinged and within a day of meeting George has started to kill anybody who gets in the way of his new boyfriend’s happiness. As George’s friends slowly start to disappear, the danger of his situation begins to become apparently to George and his friends in hilarious fashion.
Full of names and faces that will be recognisable to followers of gay pop culture—Matthew Wilkas (Gayby Baby), Bryan Safi (hilarious podcast Throwing Shade), Drew Droege (the infamous “Chloe Sevigny” web-series), Carolyn Hennesy (Cougar Town), Mindy Cohn (The Facts of Life), James Cerne (a DJ and model who also goes full frontal in the movie, just fyi)—You’re Killing Me is a wickedly fun time with many scenes playing out with the casual verve of a get together with your favourite gay pals. They won me over early on with an incredible Wynonna Judd gag and then just kept going, pillaring many facets of modern gay life.
Stylishly put together, Hansen’s film lives or dies by its ensemble and they work it perfectly. This is a film that is heavy on dialogue, but Hansen and Self know their actors’ performance styles and tailor scenes to their expertise. What results is a vibrant and fresh film, a unique entry into any queer film festival that at often times can take itself too seriously. It’s a perfect Friday night movie with even more laughs than bloody corpses.