TGIO–Thank God It’s October, aka the best month on the blog, and arguably the best month period. Nothing but horror to see here. This week brings us a modern horror-comedy inspired by Frankenstein, featuring what may be the most jarring sight of all: a non-ginger Fred Weasley.
The Film:
Patchwork
The Premise:
Three women seek revenge after being transformed into a grotesque creature at the hands of a modern-day Frankenstein.
The Ramble:
Los Angeles: City of Dreams. Also city of disreputable plastic surgeons with gruesome passion projects.
Successful but aloof Jennifer spends her birthday alone at a bar only to wake up the next day as the victim of a modern-day Frankenstein experiment. Along with bubbly sorority girl Ellie and socially awkward Madeleine, parts of Jennifer’s face and body have been used to make one perfect woman (for convenience/laziness purposes, referred to as JEM from this point on). Unfortunately, their new body is highly scarred and traps their 3 distinct minds together.
In spite of disagreement about what happened and exactly whose body this is, JEM work together to escape (hampered by George from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). As they regroup at Jennifer’s apartment, JEM decide first they will unravel the truth about what happened, then work to restore each mind to her separate body.
All 3 stories seem to share the bar where Jennifer spent a miserable birthday alone, Vic’s. Could Jennifer’s medical student friend be the surgeon gone psychotic?
Next is a deep dive into Ellie’s memories. The night of her abduction, Ellie was trying desperately to impress a pompous artist who clearly doesn’t make art as such an act would be much too capitalist. Could Banksy 2.0 have been the culprit?
As for Madeleine, she was drinking alone at Vic’s until a D-list celebrity decided to join her. Though quiet and awkward, Madeleine asks Mr. I-Have-a-Drink-Named-After-Me back to her place. Could this self-important pseudo-celeb have a dark hobby? (Spoiler: no. Madeleine actually has a rather impressive collection of body parts in her fridge…)
I should note that as JEM narrow down their list of suspects, they are taking the process of elimination to an extreme and killing off the dudes they encounter. Few tears are shed as these are men who have been emotionally manipulative, creepy AF, or just so goddamn annoying.
We also get the love story no one asked for when Madeleine and Ellie decide Fred Weasley (or whatever the fuck his character’s name is in this film) is their type–or at least is there and available. This plot point unintentionally brings up an interesting philosophical discussion about consent–if one body houses more than one consciousness, how many have to agree for it to be consent? Yet another good reason to never try to Frankenstein people.
Philosophical questions aside, who is responsible for JEM’s transformation and how will they rain bloody vengeance down upon his head?
The Rating:
3.5/5 Pink Panther Heads
Even though the second half of this film is an absolute mess, I just can’t resist the first part. The premise of the film is so fun: mix one of my favorite literary classics with gory horror, social commentary, and ladies working together to get shit done. Though the characterization of the 3 women isn’t always the most fleshed out, the scenes where they bond and begin to conspire are delightful. I unexpectedly liked Ellie a lot; even though she is the sorority girl stereotype, Ellie is no mean girl and shows vulnerability that really resonates for me.
Unfortunately, the film tries unsuccessfully to make a statement amidst a completely incoherent plot. It’s fruitless to expect to achieve the so-called perfect body, women gotta stick together, revenge is actually quite fulfilling–what the actual fuck is the message here??? Perhaps most unforgivably of all, it dangles the satisfying idea of a female serial killer targeting egomaniacs only to rip this away from us with a, er, clever twist.
I also really hate that Madeleine’s history of mental illness is brought up as something of an explanation for her violent behavior and (spoiler/not really a spoiler) obsession with having the perfect body. Equating mental health with violence is problematic AF. Furthermore, women feeling like shit about their bodies can be related to and exacerbated by mental illness–but it’s also very much an issue of social conditioning and, IDK, LIVING IN THIS WORLD.
And, of course, the tacked-on romance with a mediocre non-ginger Weasley just isn’t wanted or needed. I don’t want to see women hook up with boring heteronormative white dudes; I want to see them stab the fuck out of people (preferably men).
I have to say, however, the first part of the film did bring me a lot of joy.
The Pink Panther Snipes Again 