The teenage years can be tough. Whilst the vast majority come through the other side relatively unscathed, there are usually one or two scars picked-up along the way. These can be physical or mental. It’s a familiar struggle to find a place in the world with the shadow of adulthood looming large. In Billy O’Brien’s adaptation of Dan Wells’ Young Adult novel, I Am Not a Serial Killer, anti-hero John Wayne Cleaver is a sociopath with a conscience.
Growing up in a small mid-western town, John (Max Records) has no friends and struggles in social situations. A diagnosed sociopath, he’s fascinated by serial killers and scared he’s going to become one himself. Living in his mother’s (Laura Fraser) mortuary doesn’t help as he’s strangely drawn towards the dead. Whilst he tries to keep his increasingly disturbing thoughts in check, John becomes obsessed with a serial murder case and starts to suspect his elderly neighbour Crowley (Christopher Lloyd).
I Am Not a Serial Killer is a refreshingly offbeat coming-of-age story. It’s beautifully made; shots lingering on the dark wintery town. Max Records excels in the role. He personifies a disturbed introverted teenager struggling to grasp social norms. Christopher Lloyd is perfect in his split-personalities. I Am Not a Serial Killer is breath of fresh air, with great acting, writing and plot which flows with intrigue between light and dark.
I Am Not a Serial Killer is out in cinemas from Friday.
