The Loved Ones
2009 Directed by Sean Byrne
Synopsis
Don't break her heart
Lola Stone asked Brent Mitchell to the prom, but Brent said no, and now he's screwed. What happens when Lola doesn't get what she wants? She enlists Daddy's help to throw a prom of her own, where she is queen and Brent is king -- whether he likes it or not. THE LOVED ONES is what happens when puppy love goes horribly, violently wrong. Brent should have said yes...
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This family gathering was a little like my mine was at Christmas. Sure, I didn't experience any revenge-fueled power tool based torture, like Brent, but then, he wasn't forced to watch the Mrs. Brown's Boys Christmas special.
Who's the real victim? -
Is it finger licken' good?
- LolaI was already familiar with Robin McLeavy from her being a series regular on Hell on Wheels, where she's one of the series most memorable characters. That however is nothing compared to her portrayal of Lola in The Loved Ones. Horror films often live or die by how entertaining their villains are and too often depend more on gimmicks then actual performances. Lola is easily the most memorable horror villain I've seen in years and it's all because of McLeavy's wickedly disturbing performance.
The plot of the film could be dumped into "torture horror" because it shares some characteristics from that sub-genre, but it would be a great disservice to the film to…
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What a crazy fucking bitch!
This film is entertaining and funny in a fucked up kind of way. I enjoy that type of thing so I really liked this movie. What kept me from rating it higher is the fact there are two characters who are basically pointless and are used as filler in the middle of the film. Other than that it's very entertaining and well worth a watch.
10-3-12
I don't want to edit my whole review so people can see what the comments were about, but I've decided to add thoughts instead. Discussion about the characters I initially felt were used as filler has changed my mind, and I know realize they were just presented in a… -
4th Film And Country In Steve Grzesiak's Worldwide Month Of Scary Bastard Films
Well, I had to call it something.
I noticed that the first three films were from different countries, so I'm going to tour the globe (not literally) looking for a horror film from a different country each time. Tonight, we're in Australia. I am, anyway. Not literally. You might be, though. Bloody hell.
The Loved Ones is a film that has been getting rave reviews for months here on Letterboxd and as I've enjoyed a fair amount of Australian horror stuff in the last couple of years or so, I had very high hopes for it. It's the tale of a guy (Xavier Samuel) who, after refusing…
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The levels of messed-upness this film gets up to without getting gratuitous is really something else. I love the fact that even after reading the film's synopsis and reading the (mainly positive) reviews, it still did not prepare me for the level of sheer horror entertainment that was dished out before my eyes. It is simply fantastic.
Sure, some suspension of disbelief is required, but I was more than willing to comply. It has a fantastic off-kilter feel and it doesn't mess around, the shit starts hitting the fan pretty soon and once it does, it just keeps on going.
For fans of the genre it is simply unmissable. -
Film #4 in the 30 Countries Challenge: Australia
Horror is said to be a dying genre, with all of the remakes and sequels polluting the recent releases, however it really doesn't require very much digging to find truly great and original flicks among the rubbish. The Love Ones is definitely one of the better horror films I've seen recently, with an incredibly twisted premise and enough characterization to separate it from other forgettable torture-porn titles.
This film is very twisted, with some of the most horrific improvised torture methods I've seen on screen. Boiling brain's wit hot water, or using a knife in place of a nail; this shit is pretty fucking hardcore. I guarantee that any other gorehounds will…
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"Is it finger lickin' good?"
- LolaBoy, did I enjoy watching this.
The thing I've always loved about "torture horror" films is the fact that, if the plot is awful, there's always those twisted scenes to have fun with, and this film takes that, just that. However, it becomes something else, something more. Sean Byrne's debut film knows you will never care for the characters, you'll never care for the plot or ask if the characters could've taken different choices to have something better coming (the answer is: it's more fun this way) and, if you saw the trailer, that's not what you'll be looking for. The film's plot is nothing more than an excuse to show Byrne's twisted…
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What a well done horror film. I felt so uncomfortable watching it. To think, this is the director who previously worked on the garbage film: The Secret. Maybe he has to balance out a crappy movie with an awesome movie. If that's the case I'll be looking forward to the film after his next one!
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As someone who is tired of seeing the same themes and tropes recycled in Australian cinema, THE LOVED ONES loomed as something refreshing. However, this desire to break free from the conventions of Australian cinema is what ultimately sullies the film. I can't remember the last time I saw a film that was so desperate for the validation of its audience. It seemed to be crying, "LOOK HOW SUBVERSIVE I AM!"
The atmosphere just never feels right. The film is too aware of its grotesqueness and there is no nuance to anything. I also had no reason to empathise with the Xavier Samuel character. We just don't get to know him enough before he is seized by the sadistic Lola.
I suggest you do not show this film to your loved ones. They will disown you.
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Viewed on Netflix
Wow! This is one of the better horror movies I've seen in a really long time.
Shocking. Bloody. Gory. Creepy.
A very strong debut. -
This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
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I first saw The Loved Ones late at night on Film 4 as part of their Frightfest Season - I’d stayed up to watch the intriguingly imperfect Jennifer’s Body, and this was on afterwards. I wasn’t even watching it to start with, just dicking about on Letterboxd with it on in the background, but it quickly caught my interest.
I think my initial surpise at discovering a hidden gem, and perhaps my pleasure in watching a genuinely good film directly after the disappointing Jennifer... led me to overrate it very slightly, perhaps combined with the slightly hallucinogenic effect of being up far too late, a mood which suits this queasy, uncomfortable and very, very black comedy well.
Even on a…
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Dark. They are not supposed to be liked and i dig it. hell of an actor. princess. great times. the last look from her is gold
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While the flick is well made, it's an extended torture sequence with a b-plot that turns out to be a shocking, egregious waste of screen time in the end.
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What is it about insane women that drives me wild? It's like the more bat-shit crazy a girl is, the more attractive I find her. If I were on a date with a lovely young lady and out of nowhere she confessed to killing vagrants for fun before doing a backwards crabwalk up the wall and across the ceiling while shouting in Aramaic, I'd bend knee and propose on the spot. What a wedding that would be!
We cut the cake. I playfully dab frosting on her nose, and she giggles before throwing the knife clear across the room into the priests chest. I tell her how lucky I am and she lets out a string of obscenities that would make a sailer blush.
Hmmmm, I guess I do believe in love.