After their success with Christmas comedy horror gorefest, Hosts, Adam Leader and Richard Oakes are back with Feed Me. Another offering for the genre audience, the writing and directing duo’s latest tells a wicked tale of cannibalism. Jed (Christopher Mulvin) has recently lost his wife Olivia (Samantha Loxley). Prior to her death the pair had become somewhat estranged, but Jed is still devastated. Haunted by his memories with her, Jed is on the end of his tether. Then, at the funeral, he meets enigmatic Southern gentleman Lionel Flack (Neal Ward). Flack’s goal in life is to help others and he has a rather unique proposition for Jed – to allow Flack to eat his body. Wanting a way off the mortal coil, Jed agrees, but the situation is far more grotesque than he first thought…
Whereas Leader and Oakes’ last film played firmly into the dark vein of humour, with Feed Me the pair take a step back. There is still a lot of gallows humour within, it’s just not quite as intense. This easement comes at cost though as it leaves Feed Me with something of an identity crisis. Feed Me is never suspenseful enough to maintain itself as a straight horror, but is not sufficiently funny to become a wry, spite-filled comedy. Another tonal hindrance is Flack himself. The Southern accent of the character is distracting. It’s so exaggerated that it quickly becomes hard to take seriously. There are legitimate reasons for the character to communicate via this voice, but it’s a struggle to listen to in places, especially toward the start. As Feed Me progresses, the audience adjusts to his way of speaking, but it’s a long time coming.
Thematically, Feed Me explores the world of eating disorders. Olivia, Jed’s deceased wife, was battling bulimia. Plagued by negative thoughts, Olivia’s only respite was to binge and purge. Her condition is what led to the downfall of their marriage, with Jed unable to support his wife in a constructive way. Eating disorders impact on everyone, and Feed Me demonstrates every loved one’s worst nightmare. Although the film eventually ends up in a heightened state, the opening moments are sobering. Olivia isn’t the only character with an eating problem, Flack is also afflicted. In his case, he has a craving for meat, specifically human. What he desires to consume isn’t readily available. He also has to resort to extreme behaviours to satisfy his bodily urges. Cannibalism as an eating disorder is an interesting route to explore and becomes a highlight of the narrative.
Cannibals in the movies tend to fall into one of two categories. They are either moral less, and almost primitive monsters such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s Sawyer family, or Wrong Turn’s trio; or sophisticated seductors akin to Hannibal Lecter and Fresh’s Steve. Lionel Flack fits into neither category neatly. Instead, Flack is something of the missing link between the two factions. He’s able to use his words to manipulate the emotionally vulnerable and tries to present himself as an upstanding citizen. Underneath that facade lies a pig. Flack’s house is grotty, grimy, and just downright disgusting. It is not the pristine environment in which Mads Mikkelson’s Doctor Lecter would cook up gourmet cuisine. His home is closer to a one-star abattoir, and is the polar opposite of a place you would want to prepare and eat.
Opening with the text ‘inspired by a real story’, Feed Me gradually pulls away from any notion of the real world. Feed Me shifts between both Jed and Flack, but as the focus begins to hold on Flack, the film gets wilder. Mirroring the characters’ decline into addiction driven actions, everything spirals out of control. The gore becomes more intense and free-flowing, and events get more over-the-top with every passing scenario. The final act is one big jumble of body parts, fluids, and unhinged behaviour. It jars slightly with the slow build up that had been percolating, but does ensure that Feed Me ends with a satisfying amount of wickedness.
Whereas Flack’s version of cannibal falls somewhere between Sawyer family and Lecter, Feed Me itself plays as American Psycho meets The Cable Guy, with some Hostel level moments of gore. After the ambiguity of Hosts, Feed Me has a more direct and conventional structure. This makes it a more accessible story, opening it out to a wider audience than their first film. Feed Me has some tonal issues, but presents enough satisfying weirdness to distract from most of these flaws.
Feed Me
Summary
An interesting spin of cannibalism as an eating disorder, Feed Me will satisfy the hunger of those craving a mixture of The Cable Guy and American Psycho.
Feed Me was reviewed at Grimmfest 2022.
