Melissa Barrera stars in a new movie from Vertical. The film is blend of a multitude of genres and uses them to dive into some complex themes.
Director, Caroline Lindy, holds nothing back in her feature film debut, Your Monster. Starring Melissa Barrera the film follows an aspiring musical theater performer and writer, Laura Franco, dealing with the aftermath of some traumatic moments in her life. The movie’s premise offers the perfect canvas for a wide-ranging thematic exploration on an array of subjects that, surprisingly, works really well.
Laura Franco has hit a wall. She is at one of lowest moments in her life and, unfortunately, her accommodating personality doesn’t let her break through. In fact, Laura’s self-denying demeanor only exacerbates the issues she is currently confronting. Right when she is failing to get any better, she runs into a monster living her house. This was a monster she knew growing up, so her shock turns into acceptance after some time and she begins to let him have more of a say in her life. As her circumstances get worse, the monster encourages Laura to become more bold in her approach which puts at odds with her friends and job.
This bizarre premise only escalates into more absurdity as the film goes along, yet somehow, this all works. The film’s out-of-the-box plot allows the film to completely open up into a sincere and deep examination on a myriad of thematic elements. From femininity, to the patriarchy, to art, to self-respect, the is drenched in thematic exploration that fuses perfectly with the strange circumstances.
Your Monster is a blast to watch. Not just because of its fun, weird, moments but because it always keeps the audience engaged. The metaphorical story invites the audience to truly lean into the themes the movie is trying to address. There is an invitation from the the film to the audience to embrace the oddities, and once accepted it becomes a rewarding experience. There’s thought-provoking questions, moments of levity, and profound analysis on feminism, the patriarchy and where these ideas will go. Your Monster is legitimately a must watch and worth seeking out.
