Let me just say that out of everything that I have endured in my thirty years on this planet, planning a wedding is one of the most stressful times I have ever gone through. Some, or most, men want to let the woman have their own say. After all, it *is* the bride’s day. When was the last time that you heard someone say a wedding is the husband’s day? If it has been said, I haven’t heard it. It wasn’t until I was already a couple of months into planning my own wedding that the reality of that particular American tradition became clear. I had never truthfully heard it put that way prior. Everything my wife would ask for my opinion on became a miniature fight. In hindsight, though, I will admit right here and now that I probably should have listened to her a bit more.
What I wore for example. At the time, I was really into big band jazz and, specifically, Frank Sinatra. (Editor’s note: he still is.) I wanted to recapture some of those feelings that old eyes made me feel when I would listen to his music. Our colors were purple and gray. My pitch was to do an emo version of Sinatra but it ended up being grey skinny jeans and a purple button up with a black bowtie. Not my finest hour. I am stubborn by nature and my wife knows this. I fought extremely hard to get some of my personality into the wedding. After all it is a celebration of two people coming together to be one. I had a few victorious ideas. I got to pick the song we danced to (Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally”), the song the bridal party walked in to (Hans Zimmer, “This is Clark Kent”), and half of our cake was designed to look like Gotham City. The latter part was actually really awesome.
I’ve been married now for seven years and my wife and I have never fought more in our entire relationship than we did in planning this wedding. I love being married. I love my wife with every fiber of my being - but planning a wedding really tests your relationship. So when the movie Slashlorette Party opens up on the bride’s fear of her wedding day - I felt that. Slashlorette Party is a slasher film that tells the story of a co-ed bachelor(ette) party that gets hunted by a set of masked killers. Slashlorette has the aesthetic of an 80s slasher film ala Slumber Party Massacre or Sleepaway Camp. The way in which its storytelling is set up however is a very modern slow burn approach a la Hereditary or I’m Thinking of Ending Things. It somehow finds a home by marrying the two quite nicely.
The story opens up on the protagonist Brie (Molly Souza) confessing her doubts about marriage and even thinks about ending things with her husband to be Dolph (Andrew Brown). For the record - Brown is one of the best antagonists I’ve come across recently in horror. He is transformative, slipping into the skin of a manipulative and soulless man. His performance is among the best in the cast for that very reason. For this film being a love letter to 80s slashers, Souza really challenges the tropes and archetypes of slashers, which is refreshing in a number of ways. I found myself always questioning what was going to happen next with her character. Her arc has more in common with Florence Pugh’s Dani from Midsommar than the 80s b-movies that this film is paying homage to.
Given that the film is a love letter to 80s slashers, therein lies the film’s problems as well. Much like Friday the 13th Part II, this film has an overextended cast without actual development. Worse yet - the cast nearly blends together. All the groomsmen come off as one note; they all are looking to score. The majority of the bridesmaids also fall into the same camp with some exceptions, namely the maid of honor Alexa (Brooke Morris) and Souza’s onscreen best friend, Nia (Nina Lanee Kent). Viewers meet both of these ladies well before the rest of the bridal party and they are given the most screen time. While we might have spent more time with both actresses, they also continue in the tradition of other characters. Just because you have more screen time doesn’t mean you’re better developed.
With the film being a slasher film, viewers can expect some blood. The storytelling takes a more modern day approach with the tinge of a slow burn, saving nearly all the fun gags, or slasher kills, for the final act. It almost feels like a tonal shift happens when we reach that point. Slashlorette carries a more dramatic tone throughout the majority of its duration. It’s only when we finally reach the killers that audiences are treated to what they came for: some fun. The filmmakers did attempt to plant seeds for the climax of the movie throughout the rest of the film. Aside from a scene or two, this resulted in a predictable and tonally uneven final product. Despite the bumpy road leading to the film’s climax, the third act is a blast. It is a trip down memory lane filled with nostalgia for films like Sleepaway Camp, Friday the 13th, and Slumberparty Massacre.
Overall, Slashlorette Party isn’t a perfect love letter to the slasher foundation of the 80s, but it definitely manages to capture the spirit. The film is filled with disposable characters and a massive tonal shift. The acting has some mixed results as well. The characters come across as one note, with the exception of Molly Souza, who plays our heroine. Those seeking classic 80s slasher hallmarks will be satisfied. It’s the slow burn storytelling that sells the final product. Regardless, Slashlorette Party understands that it is it’s own party and it will cry if it wants to. Boy, does it ever weep.
RORSCHACH RATING:
Mental Health Moment:
“Do you know how embarrassing it is to date someone with a mental illness?”
Yes, that is a legitimate line pulled straight from the movie. The film opens up on a therapy session of our protagonist, Brie (Souza). She is confessing that she is having second thoughts about marrying her fiance. The filmmakers do a decent job at establishing that this is a girl healing her own baggage. She is taking the steps necessary for the restoration of her mental health. Yet her husband-to-be is an emotionally abusive individual who constantly undermines that progress throughout the entire film, to such a point that he says the above line.
A part of the healing process also comes with surrounding yourself with healthy people and healthy environments. While therapy is good, and we constantly advocate for it, it’s not the only thing worthy of attention. You need to consider how you spend time between sessions, the people you surround yourself with, and the environments in which you spend your time. Therapy might be taking steps forward but those factors can prolong the process of healing, sometimes even undermining the progress of therapy.
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Slashlorette Party is property of A&P Productions. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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