Jeffrey Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys in the Midwest United States between 1978 and 1991 before being captured and incarcerated. He would become one of America’s most infamous serial killers. This is the story before that story…
I never know how to feel about films inspired by real-life murders, especially ones that attempt to make the killers sympathetic. Marc Meyers’ My Friend Dahmer, which looks fantastic by the way, is not only the true story of Dahmer in high school, based on Derf Backderf’s critically acclaimed 2012 graphic novel, but it’s allegedly both sad and funny. Yes, it paints him as a sad, abused, and troubled teenager, disliked by many but also so crazy he’s funny. See where I’m going with this? I’d be a hypocrite, however, if I didn’t point out that I watch shows like “Forensic Files” on the reg. Anyway, decide for yourself…
“Jeff Dahmer (Disney Channel’s Ross Lynch) is an awkward teenager struggling to make it through high school with a family life in ruins. He collects roadkill, fixates on a neighborhood jogger (Vincent Kartheiser, “Mad Men”), and copes with his unstable mother (Anne Heche) and well-intentioned father (Dallas Roberts). He begins to act out at school, and his goofball antics win over a group of band-nerds who form The Dahmer Fan Club, headed by Derf Backderf (Alex Wolff, Nickelodeon’s “The Naked Brothers Band”). But this camaraderie can’t mask his growing depravity. Approaching graduation, Jeff spirals further out of control, inching ever closer to madness.”
Filmrise, who has been releasing all of the “Forensic Files” and massively popular “Unsolved Mysteries” is behind the release of the widely praised My Friend Dahmer.
Watch for it in theaters this fall.
