By BRANDON GIL
Starring Kimberly Laferrière, Rogan Christopher, Janet Porter, Christian McKenna
Written and Directed by John Ainslie
Serendipity Media | Dark Star Pictures
John Ainslie’s Canadian horror film, DO NOT DISTURB joins the ranks of other drug-fueled horror films (e.g. Climax, Swallowed and Placebo) that prey on our fears of losing control and descending into madness. Dysfunctional newlyweds, Chloe (Kimberly Laferrière) and Jack (Rogan Christopher), honeymoon in Miami, Florida in their last-ditch effort to repair their failing relationship. The two find and ingest mysterious drugs that bring them closer together at the cost of an insatiable appetite for other human beings and each other.
The film begins by establishing bird’s-eye shots of sunny Miami, which are rhythmically edited to an upbeat tempo. This is intercut with a slow, quiet scene of Jack sleeping in the backseat of a car as Chloe looks at him despondently. The juxtaposition is thematically linked to the film: seemingly nothing, not even paradise, can fix what’s broken between our lead characters.
A good breakup story centers its characters and DO NOT DISTURB does just that. A majority of this film is set in Chloe and Jack’s dingy motel room as we come to understand their disdain for each other. Jack is possessive, apathetic and non-supportive. Chloe is manipulative, resentful and paranoid. The two love to push each other’s buttons and, we as the audience, quickly understand their triggers. By the time the couple discovers the cannibalism-inducing drugs on the beach, the audience is in the same boat as Chloe and Jack. We want them to try literally anything that may mend their dysfunctional relationship for both their sakes and ours.
While simplicity helps us focus on the dysfunction of the couple, this film is almost too simple in its development of the characters as individuals. We never learn what they sacrificed to sustain their deteriorating relationship. We never learn what they may lose if they break up. We do not understand how their lives may improve if they leave each other. By over-simplifying the characters, the stakes are removed and the audience is left apathetic as to whether they make their marriage work.
What DO NOT DISTURB lacks in individual character development, it makes up for in humor. Rogan Christopher’s performance as Jack is often stiff and awkward, but he comes to life in scenes where he’s tripping out. His physical comedy and confused affect are believable and hilarious and lend themselves well to the time-warping and disorienting nature of the mysterious drugs they ingest. Kimberly Laferrière shines throughout the film, often overshadowing Christopher in intimate exposition dump scenes. Given that Jack is meant to be disinterested as a character, their acting style differences do not feel jarring. If anything, it reinforces our understanding that Chloe is more invested in their relationship than Jack.
DO NOT DISTURB is aware of Florida’s reputation as a literal “hot mess.” Among the eccentric cast of characters are the quirky swinger couple Wendy (Janet Porter) and Wayne (Christian McKenna), who, after years of marriage, are still madly in love and open to new experiences. They serve as a foil to Chloe and Jack, who look at them with equal parts disgust and envy. Any movie that takes place in Florida needs a “Florida man”. Rupinder Nagra delivers as the quintessential “Florida man” who, after waking up from a drug-fueled frenzy on the beach, rants incoherently to nearby Chloe and Jack. He gives them the rest of his drugs, which, unbeknownst to the couple, will forever change their lives.
Unfortunately, there is not enough gore for a cannibalism film. DO NOT DISTURB spends much of its time focusing on the dysfunctional marriage of our two main leads and their funny and psychedelic drug trips. The drug-induced cannibalism that we do get is visceral and raw, but it does not push the envelope into shocking territory. The blood is realistic and literally showers their motel room, adding vibrancy to an otherwise drab atmosphere; it’s a reminder that sometimes the only way you can get close to someone else is to pull a Florida-man (i.e. bath salts-induced rage) and eat them.
If you’re a fan of the drug horror subgenre or films where characters descend into madness, then DO NOT DISTURB is well worth a watch. If you’re looking for a film with extreme gore or imagery, then pass this up and re-watch Nekromantik instead.
DO NOT DISTURB is playing in theaters as of November 17 and became available on demand on November 21.
