Note: This review of Decay is of the workprint version of the film.

Character studies in horror are a favourite of many. Excellent standouts such as May, American Psycho and The Silence Of The Lambs bring you into the world and the mind of the protagonist to give you a glimpse of what’s going on in their head as they go about hacking up people. That simplified explanation obviously doesn’t do these films justice, as there’s so much more that “normal” people like ourselves can relate to in many instances with these characters. For his début film, Decay, writer/director Joseph Wartnerchaney takes viewers into a lonely world of a man whose reprieve comes in the form of death. Though not in the expected way.

Jonathan (Rob Zabrecky) is a lonely, middle-aged man at the mercy of his OCD. Apart from his doting neighbour (Jackie Hoffman), who brings him frozen meals every week, Jonathan’s only other interaction with people is with his arrogant co-worker (Elisha Yaffe). Apart from his job as caretaker for an amusement park, Jonathan spends the rest of his time keeping collections of delicate flowers and keys he finds at work in his basement. Jonathan’s orderly world is turned on its head when a pair of young girls break into his place, thinking that he’s growing weed. One of the girls, Katlyn (Hannah Baron), has an accident and ends up dead. Not used to company, Jonathan decides to keep Katlyn’s body as a friend. However, as Katlyn’s body begins to decay, so does the rest of Jonathan’s world.

Hands down, Decay scores big on several fronts. For starters, Zabrecky absolutely nails it as Jonathan, a man whose upbringing with his controlling mother (excellently played by Lisa Howard) has turned him into the isolated oddity we follow throughout the film. Zabrecky perfectly captures a person whose mental illness has left him crippled socially, constantly worrying about germs and order. This only adds to the sympathy we feel for Jonathan. And while one might bring Norman Bates to mind when it comes to the character, the awkwardness, constant loneliness and troubled upbringing of Jonathan seemingly override any sinister assumptions or apprehensions one might have about the character. The sequence where Jonathan is bathing Katlyn’s corpse is, by outward appearances, disgusting. But at the same time, you sense the care and love of Jonathan has for his new friend seemingly overriding the repulsiveness. Even when Jonathan lies to tries in vain to keep Katlyn’s body from rotting, the thought of knowing that he’s losing someone whom he cares about (even though that person is a corpse) is quite powerful.

Behind the camera, Wartnerchaney crafts some amazing shots. The opening sequence of the girls breaking into and exploring Jonathan’s home, spliced with shots of Jonathan riding his tricycle home, which in turn are spliced with the opening credits, immediately grabs your attention with their quality and professional feel. It doesn’t stop there, however. We’re treated to Jonathan’s routines in a beautiful array of shots. Shots such as water hitting orchid petals or Jonathan examining his daily finds at the park such as keys or a pack of cigarettes are made to feel interesting and never trivial. Lighting in these shots (particularly at the start with the girls roaming Jonathan’s house) only adds to it all, along with the great yet subtle ambient score by Brent Lord. There are also some great sweeping shots of the neighbourhood where Jonathan lives, as well as a sequence of shots with Jonathan’s day of work at the amusement park, spliced in with flashbacks of Jonathan’s childhood interactions with his mother. The cold, empty feelings of Jonathan’s relationship with his mother are echoed in the emptiness of his workplace and home, longing for human interaction. It’s again quite amazing to think that this is Wartnerchaney’s first film.

Obviously, the idea of a man taking a corpse as a friend and caring for it won’t be to everyone’s liking. Nor is the idea of exploring the very real world of loneliness a person might have, or the painstaking details of Jonathan’s routines. The biggest complaint I have would be that the film feels a bit too slow in spots. This might change with further editing, however. The film’s overarching theme of loneliness and longing for friendship are palpable, and outweigh its potential lagging.

As a whole, Decay is an absolute treat for fans of character studies. It evokes similar tones of desire for companionship and sympathy for the protagonist as in May, but turns it up with the tragic aspects of a person made prisoner by their mental illness. Zabrecky scores points for his awesome performance, and the camerawork is incredible for a first-time director and an indie production. While the slow-burning aspects and the subject matter might not be for everyone’s liking, you can’t help but be impressed with what Wartnerchaney has crafted.