Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023) - Movie Review
What if I told you that a film with the most pretentious, overlong title I’ve seen in years, instantly became one of my favorite movies of all time?
What if I told you that this horror comedy hits just as hard as Let the Right One In, but without the bleak ending?
No, I’m not just saying that because it’s a French film.
Let’s discuss.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is a coming-of-age horror comedy brought to us by the brilliant writer/director Ariane Louis-Seize and writer Christine Doyon. You won’t know Louis-Seize’s name, but she’s a brilliant writer whose opportunities have mainly been in short films so far. However, her wit and understanding of how to convey human relationships through both her dialogue and her masterful direction of her actors. I hope to see more long-form films from her, as this movie is brilliant from beginning to end. Doyon is also an accomplished writer, mainly focused on French television and short films.
The Film follows Sasha, born into a respectable vampire family in the French suburbs. Upon reaching maturity, her parents' worst fears materialize—no fangs emerge. Medical specialists attribute this to a cerebral anomaly that replaces her natural predatory instincts with unwanted empathy. For decades, her reluctant family hunts double rations to sustain her, until one fateful evening when she witnesses a young man's suicide attempt. Suddenly, her dormant fangs descend. Her family's celebration is short-lived when Sasha still refuses to hunt. Cast out under the guise of "vampire tough love," Sasha spirals into suicidal ideation herself. At a support group, she encounters the very boy whose despair triggered her transformation. He recognizes her nature and offers himself as willing prey. Though tempted, Sasha feels compelled to give something meaningful before taking his life. What unfolds is a macabre yet tender exploration of connection, belonging, and the true meaning of life.
I am biased towards French Film. Anyone who’s ever discussed film with me would tell you. I love the French Language and the artistry of their films. The French Extreme movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s produced a handful of films high up on my top films of all time. The movement redefined horror around the world. However, outside of the French, no one else understood that the films all had messages, meaning behind their violence. They were artistic expression at its most guttural level.
This film shows the reality of living as a depressed person.
Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve spoken openly, and sometimes on stage, about my struggles with my mental health. I was forced to attend a private school where I was the poorest kid, surrounded by wealthy trust fund babies. I was essentially a sideshow freak for most of my life. Despite that fact, I’ve built a pretty amazing life. However, I can’t fully enjoy any of it. The sad truth is that my brain is forever broken, and no amount of success or medication is going to repair it. I say this to establish my understanding of the subject matter.
Most films portray depression as a “woe is me” type of malady. They depict the suicidal person as lazy, non-social, and essentially a burden on everyone around them. While there are times this may be true, I am a perfect example of how wrong that depiction is overall. Much like the characters in the film, I’m an enterprising, productive person. I have a thriving social media presence, I’ve done speaking engagements, I’m a well-regarded artist, and I’ve written around eight novels. I’ve also owned 2 homes before hitting the age of 40. I’m not alone either. Most of the people I talk to who have mental illness are highly successful, gregarious people, too.
I really appreciate seeing someone who obviously understands conveying the true reality of our condition in film. It was refreshing.
None of it would have worked if not for the amazing actors at play here.
Sara Montpetit is perfect in the leading role.
Most known for her breakout role in 2022’s Falcon Lake, she turns in another masterful portrayal of adolescence. She is fantastic as the tragic heroine, a girl who's never had a real friend. Her character growth throughout the film is the lifeblood of the movie. She begins to come out of her shell, she understands what living truly means, but at what cost?
Similarly, Felix-Antoine Benard is brilliant as her confidant. He is such an odd-looking young man, but ever so talented. His non-verbal performance was outstanding. His facial expressions and sometimes lack thereof were all perfectly timed. His performance was so organic that I almost believed his character might be real.
But it wasn’t just the leading players that made this film great. The supporting cast was phenomenal, with the likes of greats Steve Laplante and Sophie Cadieux leading the way. J.P., played by Gabriel-Antoine Roy, became my favorite character, and I looked forward to him showing up in scenes.
There were very few special effects in the film, and what was used was subtle and well done. The shadow cloak that comes over Sasha as she struggles with her instincts and the compassion innate to her character was an incredible technique. Most violence is implied from off-screen, so there isn’t much gore, but what is presented is flawless in its execution.
The score by Pierre-Philippe Cote is moody, atmospheric, and addictive.
This is a movie I’d proudly put beside the gold standards of the Coming-of-Age subgenre. We’re talking about the likes of Almost Famous, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and But I’m a Cheerleader. There isn’t a horror film I could compare it to, because the quality of work on display here is beyond what most horror-themed projects aspire to.
This is an art piece.
Please support it. We need more movies like this. Movies that ignore modern politics, biases, and the other vitriol we all are trying to avoid while watching a movie for entertainment.
Everyone involved in this production should be proud.
Check this one out streaming now on Amazon Prime and Shudder.
