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Thankfully, this film doesn't attempt to throw Jeffrey Dahmer's entire serial murder spree at you. To do so would be ludicrous, as it spanned 13 years. What it does is focus on his first murder, his last murder, and the one that got away, as well as imparting some information on his personal life and hinting at his motivations. It leaves the rest to the viewer.
This film may seem boring to those with only a passing knowledge of Dahmer's crimes (i.e. what they've read in newspapers and magazines, or seen on television). But to those who are familiar with the whole story, it is fascinating viewing. We don't NEED to see any more than this film shows us in order to get the point. It shows us very specific moments in Dahmer's development as a serial killer...and they're some of the most important moments. It also does a wonderful job of showing the viewer how Jeffrey became increasingly cold as time went by. The prospect of dismembering his first victim was sickening to him...but it was only a matter of time before he was achieving orgasm by calmly slicing open abdomens and placing his hands in his victims' viscera.
The acting in this film is superb. Jeremy Renner is uncanny as Jeffrey Dahmer. He plays the part to the fullest without ever seeming to push it. It's difficult when playing a part like this to keep it low-key and not go over-the-top. Renner's performance as Jeffrey is so nonchalant and believable that it's absolutely chilling. The other actors in the film also put in strong but subtle performances, leading to a high level of believability in their roles.
Bottom line: "Dahmer" is the best serial killer biopic since "The Deliberate Stranger" and certainly one of the year's best indie films to date.
score /10
james_oblivion 7 September 2002
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0811782/ |
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14-4-2020 00:07:09