Dead Hooker in a Trunk (2009)
Steve Barton
|
Reviewed by ThomMathewsCirca1986
Starring Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska, Rikki Gagne, C.J. Wallis
Written and directed by Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska
Dead Hooker in a Trunk is the kind of film that would blindside you if only it weren’t already titled with the knock-out punch of Dead Hooker in a Trunk. The premise alone is intriguing enough, but with a title that calls it like it is, you have a basic understanding of what you are about to see. To say Dead Hooker in a Trunk is a demure title for a film would be an understatement … and a flat out lie. It’s a supremely polarizing title. You can assume you will either love it or hate it just from the heading. But this film exceeds expectations and in the end works out to be one of the best independent features released this year.
From start to finish it holds its own. There’s no pithy Diablo Cody dialogue or half-ass attempts at moral constitutions. It is a full on assault of your senses, eviscerating any stereotypes that may have sprouted from those unenthused over the title.
The women who made the film, Jen and Sylvia Soska, star as Geek and Badass, respectively. Their names are characteristic of, well, their characters. That is clear from the start. Badass had a hard night of partying with her BFF Junkie, played by Rikki Gagne, resulting in madcap escapades when they realize that they partied a little TOO hard the night before and there is a dead hooker in the trunk of their classic car. Along for the ride are Geek and her love interest, Goody Two Shoes, played pitch perfect by C.J. Wallis. If you don’t crack a smile every time he is on screen, you’re probably missing something.
The group decide they need to dump the body, and what follows is an adventure every bit a lesson in suspension of disbelief as it is a buddy picture the likes of which have not been seen before. The special effects and action sequences belie the fact that this is the first feature from the Soskas. The romantic tension between Geek and Goody Two Shoes is consistently amplified as they traverse the waters of tagging along to dispose of the dead hooker. The film toes the line between genres: horror, drama, comedy, and finally kick-ass action film.
One curse that you can find in a lot of low budget indie horror films is a lack of acting talent. The story may be there, but you’ll be damned if it can be delivered without stutters and hiccups from inexperienced actors called in when a friend needs to cash in a favor. Dead Hooker excels from the exact opposite. Even in the few moments when the story does slow, or gets choppy, the characters hold your attention. Any inconsistencies are few and far between as the Soska Sisters hit their first feature out of the park.
Watching Dead Hooker in a Trunk gets you ready to jump on the Soska Sisters’ trolley and eagerly await the next step they make. Eli Roth has been quoted as saying, “You should check out the Soska Sisters, who made a film called Dead Hooker in a Trunk. They’re two Canadian twin sisters that made a feature that they wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. And it’s fantastic.” Having a big name in the Hollywood scene call you out like that is an automatic stamp of approval in some respects. But this is the kind of film that can stand on its own, big name nod or not. Roth has shown interest in the Soskas’ next project, and with his producing hat on for The Last Exorcism it’s not beyond belief that he could play a part in helping to make the Soskas even more recognizable.
Take a look at the trailer and demand this film come to your town. There are a lot of commercial films that get begged into a screening, and this is one independent venture that deserves your vote and your hard earned money. If you want to be entertained, this is your film.
4 out of 5
Discuss Dead Hooker in a Trunk in the Dread Central forums!
Categorized:Reviews
