Running Time: 90 Minutes
Starring: Vinny Curran, Bill Oberst Jr., Brendan Cahalan, Iliyana Apostolova, Ian Tripp, Joshua Wyble, Ryan Schafer, Caroline Amiguet
My review for Everybody Dies By The End was first published at Bloody Good Reads.
Emerging after a decade away, cult filmmaker Alfred Costella (Vinny Curran) hires a crew to make a behind-the-scenes documentary of his final film. Al wishes them to chronicle the ugly truths of his biggest work ever, promising an all-practical concept with a dark twist. A fan of the director, documentarian Calvin (Ian Tripp) finds his excitement diminished as he delves further into the film.
The stress of moviemaking is effectively captured by co-directors Ian Tripp and Ryan Schafrer, centred around a story of manipulation and control by those in power. Al’s aggressions come out during directing, as he belittles his cast while taking whatever lengths to capture what he desires, including outright abuse. Curran effectively portrays the fabled director with both an alluring energy and a sinister temper, complete with apologies which feel rehearsed and insincere.
Whether they’re in-front of or behind the camera, the crew are excited to immortalise themselves in celluloid by devoting themselves fully to this project. Everybody wishes to impress Costella, no matter how fanatical the lengths they take, as best captured by Brendan Cahalan’s faithful Grant.
The film comes alive when things get meta or have fun with the grisly elements, yet things are less stable when trying to blend the comedic moments with darker elements inspired by headlines. Amongst these tonal clashes, one wonders what the film can add to the conversations about workplace abuse in the moviemaking industry. Outside of this lies a fun tale about a film shoot on the road to hell.
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