Morbid with a dash of charm, The Loneliest Boy in the World tells a story about Oliver (Max Harwood), a teen left alone after a gruesome accident. When tasked to dig up some friends, Oliver takes that suggestion literally, deciding that’s probably his best bet.
This film is not what I expected it to be. Despite being a horror set in the 80s, its whimsical set design has more of a 50s feel and looks like it crawled out from the “But I’m A Cheerleader” set. The idea seemed intriguing enough; a kid befriends zombies because he’s a loner. But the actual story is a bit confusing. Nothing ever seemed clear. Did the dead really come back to life to create a nuclear family with Oliver? I could never tell if this was all happening inside his head or not. There were also characters like the ones played by Ashley Benson and Evan Ross, whose motivations I never understood. Why were they looking after Oliver, and why was Evan Ross so set on proving something was wrong with him?
Despite being utterly confused, I loved the film’s aesthetic and sitcom satire. For a morbid movie, everything was bright and fluffy with light humor. It was quirky and interesting, to say the least. Max Harwood is also an actor to watch out for. I loved him in “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.” He’s charismatic and plays the role of Oliver with a vulnerability not everyone can emulate.
There’s not much horror in this dark comedy, but there is plenty of gore. In my opinion, a little too much. Some scenes are just disgusting; I even had to look away multiple times. But if you’re ok a little blood and guts and have an affinity for twisted tales of boys digging up dead people to create a family, this one is for you. The storytelling wasn’t great, and a lot of questions were left unanswered. The lovely aesthetic and charming lead are enough to carry this film. I’ll say The Loneliest Boy in the World may not be perfect, but it is camp at its finest.
You can watch The Loneliest Bot in the World in select theaters or stream it on VOD on October 18th.
Collette's Review: The Loneliest Boy in the World
Score
Review Nation Score
The storytelling wasn't great, and a lot of questions were left unanswered. The lovely aesthetic and charming lead are enough to carry this film. I'll say The Loneliest Boy in the World may not be perfect, but it is camp at its finest.