[DVD Review] ‘Some Guy Who Kills People’ Is Witty Fun

Posted by LaurenTaylor on July 15, 2012 @ 7:02pm
Related Tags: Barry Bostwick, Jack Perez, John Landis, Kevin Corrigan, review, Ryan Levin, Some Guy Who Kills People

A take on the fable of ‘don’t pick on kids because they’ll snap one day and kill you’, Some Guy Who Kills People is a simple story about Ken Boyd – a man recently released from a mental hospital. After surviving a traumatic beat down by the high school basketball team – and a subsequent suicide attempt –Some Guy adds an extra element to the tortured kid story by giving them a bullied child of their own to take care of. It’s a satisfying movie in that you can tune out and enjoy yourself while watching it, but by adding that little extra element – of a down and out type trying desperately to have a normal life – it makes it that much more enjoyable.

Rarely do such movies show a soft side to such a main character, and perhaps it is Kevin Corrigan’s portrayal of Ken Boyd that captures it. Dealing with living his mother (Karen Black) at age 34, Boyd already has mountains to conquer – but add in a disrespectful boss of the local ice cream parlor that he’s employed at – and the additional struggle of trying to court an interested woman – and Corrigan’s acting speaks volumes. He is able to pull off anguish and heartbreak with a blank face. Of course, witty dialogue – and a well rounded cast – amplifies simple things – like Boyd’s rough denial of an extra scoop of ice cream on the house to a repeat patron. For being so simple in every way, it is great to see just how fulfilling it is.

The DVD includes a sparse amount of extras, but in the case of Some Guy Who Kills People – it is all about quality vs. quantity. The short film The Fifth, which inspired the film, is superb. Four guys sit waiting for their fifth buddy to show up to a poker game. When he finally does, he drags in a dead body – shocking a new member of the group. Casually the group explains that he is a serial killer – and has been since being laid off four months ago. As the 12 minute short continues, it grows more absurd. Like the full length feature film, blood goes spurting, convincing dialogue is thrown about and there are plenty of laughs.

Besides a trailer and commentary with director Jack Perez and writer/producer Ryan Levin, there is a Making Of Featurette. This delightful piece includes how many of the effects were done. It is refreshing to see people still using simple methods of making blood spray and severed hands and heads look real in lieu of CGI. Also mentioned is the amazing cast. Kevin Corrigan, Barry Bostwick, Lucy Davis, Karen Black and the incredible young Ariel Gade – make up an ensemble that are brutally convincing as their characters. Their dedication to delivering believable performances. Kevin Corrigan alone is underrated as an actor. He casually portrays Ken Boyd to the point that Ken is real. Ariel Gade plays Ken’s daughter Amy. Gade’s ability to bring Amy to life is amazing for being as young as she is. She is truly deserving of more roles. There is also a bit interview with executive producer John Landis in the Making Of that shows his approval of the film.

While movies usually lean to either going with full on gore or full on intelligent storyline – Some Guy Who Kills People is smart and gratifying in that it delivers both. For that, it will be a welcome addition to any DVD library.

Score: 4/5

Some Guy Who Kills People

Posted by Brad McHargue on October 17, 2011 @ 12:00am

When you hear of a movie directed by Jack Perez, your first instinct is to get some friends together and create a drinking game. The man behind last year’s hilariously awful Asylum production Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (which grossed a whopping $722 on one screen) and Wild Things 2, which I am dismayed to learn actually exists, doesn’t exactly provide you with the hope that you’re about to see a good flick. But with Some Guy Who Kills People, Perez manages to deliver a funny, bloody little horror comedy about revenge and family.

Kevin Corrigan plays Ken Boyd, a man in his mid-thirties attempting to rebuild his life after being released from a mental institution following a traumatic experience at the hands of four assailants. He receives no real support from his mother, who happens to be sleeping with the local sheriff; his boss verbally abused him on a daily basis; and most people, in general, treat him like dirt. So what’s a guy to do? Well, kill those who wronged him in the past is a good start. As his past tormenters start turning up brutally murdered, things start to take a turn when the daughter he never met enters his life. He strikes up a relationship with a timid Brit, and the local sheriff starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

On its face Some Guy Who Kills People is a straight up slasher film; blood flies, heads roll, and hatchets become deeply embedded in the faces of those who wronged Boyd. The violence starts quickly, but as the film progresses, you begin to forget about it all and instead become incredibly invested in the characters, a rare feat in any slasher film. Praise is thus due for all of the principle characters, each of whom bring a downright hilarious performance, all made possible by the dry humor of writer Ryan Levin.

Kevin Corrigan, known primarily as a comedic supporting actor, truly shines as a man struggling with how to be a father while simultaneously exacting revenge on those who brutally tortured him and forced him into a loony bin. Ariel Glade, who plays his 11-year old daughter, shines throughout, playing off Corrigan’s subdued, awkward humor with hilarious boisterousness. The rest, comprised of Barry Bostwick as the local sheriff sleeping with Ken’s mom, played by Karen Black, and a bunch of supporting cast members bring Levin’s characters to life, infusing in each a wholly unique personality that allows the humor to come from all sides and in numerous forms.

It’s not a perfect movie. The twist isn’t anything to write home about, and much of the build-up is presented in a way that’s slightly muddled and confusing, but in the end, it truly doesn’t matter. The performances are so good, and the humor so well executed, that any issues one might have with the story are instantly forgiven. Even then they’re not major problem, and might just be the byproduct of my high expectations and demand for perfection in everything I see. Bottom line, Some Guy Who Kills People is a funny, bloody, and yes, really sweet take on the slasher genre that’s a welcome breath of fresh air on the horror landscape.