Your Monster
Breakups make monsters of us all
Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey generate some monstrous chemistry in this feminist horror flick.
Actress Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera) thinks that getting diagnosed with cancer is the worst thing that has ever happened to her. But her boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) decides to up the ante by breaking up with her shortly after. He tells her he can’t deal with her or her pain, that it’s all “too much”.
He ends their relationship, kicks her out of their shared apartment, and doesn’t look back. The only part of Laura he keeps is a musical she helped him write. He’s sold the rights and is about to mount a big Broadway production of it.
Laura gets to watch Jacob’s success from her parents’ house, where she’s forced to move as she recovers. While living in her childhood bedroom and stewing about Jacob, she encounters Monster (Tommy Dewey). He’s a literal monster and has apparently been living in Laura’s closet her whole life. He was happy when she moved out, because it gave him more space.
Now, Monster wants her gone so he can go back to quietly living in her parents’ home. Laura is terrified at first, but has nowhere else to go. Soon, both realize they’re trapped with each other and start to bond. Monster has a surprising love of theater and encourages Laura to stop blaming herself for her breakup. He encourages Laura to audition for Jacob’s play, since she wrote half of it, and the lead was tailored for her.
Can Laura realize her dreams and get back at her ex? Or is listening to a monster a bad idea?
Written and directed by Caroline Lindy, Your Monster is a mashup of horror and romcom genres. It’s a great study of how women process rage, and how frequently we minimize our feelings to spare others. Laura is so convinced her cancer is an imposition that she excuses Jacob for dumping her at the first sign of trouble.
It’s no coincidence that Monster pops up just as she hits rock bottom. His encouragement helps Laura find her confidence. As she becomes more assertive, she gets more of what she wants. It’s hard to break behavioral cycles, but when we do, there are usually rewards that follow.
Lindy seems fixated on the idea that women repress their rage for no reason. It’s only through literally embracing her most aggravated impulses that Laura learns to fight for what she wants. It’s an interesting concept, but I’m not sure the ending of her script supports her thesis as well as the rest of the film does.
Thankfully, Barrera is more than capable of carrying Your Monster over a few rough spots. She’s a charming lead who manages to swing from doormat to Amazonian warrior in the blink of an eye. Barrera also creates some excellent chemistry with Dewey, who is a charismatic beast, even when he’s encouraging violence.
I once gave a friend a mug emblazoned with the saying “I have cooked for men I should have poisoned”. If that sentiment rings true for you, Your Monster is a great watch.
Verdict: Though the ending feels a bit messy, this is a fun look at how women process their anger.
Your Monster is rated R and available to watch on MAX.
