Coming to theaters on Oct. 25, “Your Monster” is a modern retelling of the classic fairytale, “Beauty and the Beast,” with some dark, yet comedic twists.
The film follows actress Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera) after her life has turned upside down. While recovering from surgery, an awful breakup and the loss of a Broadway role without much of a support system, Laura returns to her childhood home, where she’s met with a monstrous roommate — literally. “Your Monster is filled with romance, horror, comedy and a musical finale, making a great fall film.
It’s an expansion of director Caroline Lindy’s short film, released in 2019. After the short film’s release, Lindy wrote the full script and began developing the film. Earlier this year, “Your Monster” was shown at various film festivals around the world, including Sundance. The Torch was lucky enough to see the film at The Lower East Side Film Festival in May 2024.
Above all, “Your Monster” is a romance. The love shown throughout the film is not the most conventional, but it still shows how love can conquer all. A frightful encounter occurs between Laura and Monster (Tommy Dewey) soon after her surgery and breakup. After the shock of this first meeting, they form an unlikely bond. In her fragile state, Monster’s charming, albeit often intense, persona gives Laura the confidence to regain the direction of her life.
The film is considered a horror, but in more realistic ways than someone may think. While the obvious horror aspect of the film comes from Monster and his beast-like features, there is a deeper-lying message that viewers will see Laura struggle with.
The film’s scariest parts emerge from her troubles with a horrible ex-boyfriend, a failing career and loneliness. For viewers, these types of fear are real and affect everyone daily.
Both the romance and horror aspects are balanced by an overarching theme of comedy, however dark it may come across. The concept of a girl and a monster living together is funny enough, especially with the way it’s portrayed as almost normal in the film. The two fight over thermostat temperatures and what to watch on TV, like nothing is out of the ordinary.
Laura and Monster bicker like an old married couple throughout the majority of the film, with an entertaining and laughable back-and-forth banter. However, by the end, viewers will find themselves laughing — perhaps nervously — at just how insane things have gotten for Laura.
The core aspect of the film is female rage. From the start, we see Laura being beaten down time and time again. The film reaches its climax when Laura begins to take charge of her own life, attempting to prove to her ex-boyfriend and anyone else who doubts that she is capable of performing.
Laura’s overwhelming emotions that have been building throughout the film pour out through an incredible and gruesome musical finale. After the whole film has felt like a playful descent into madness, this final performance truly shows that Laura is past her breaking point, which may be for the best.
Barrera’s stunning vocals are put on display here in an enchanting way. She somehow captures all the emotions Laura feels while singing in a way that almost disregards everything else. The beauty of Barrera’s voice keeps viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the entire number, enraptured by her talent.
The undeniable talent of Barrera combined with the dynamic chemistry she has with Tommy Dewey as Monster makes for a truly alluring on-screen performance. The two play off each other as if they really are in love in this complex relationship. Not to mention the rest of the cast with their own various portrayals, particularly in the way Edmund Donovan plays Jacob, the villainous ex-boyfriend. The character’s self-centered nature and egotistical mannerisms are played out so authentically, it makes him easy to hate.
With a combination of romance, horror and comedy, “Your Monster” is a film that can appeal to multiple interests. Its fairy-tale nature mixed with present-day themes makes it a timeless piece of cinema that is sure to be a hit. The talent alone is enough to see the film. Barrera and Dewey’s outstanding performance will have viewers mesmerized.
