LOVE OBJECT

(2003)

written and directed by Robert Parigi

 

reviewed by Adam Armstrong

2.22.10

 

Creepy and brilliant.

 

Kenneth (Desmond Harrington) is quiet, efficient, and socially awkward. When his boss (Rip Torn) gives Kenneth a new assignment and a new assistant, Lisa (Melissa Sagemiller), Kenneth’s social awkwardness begins to interfere with his work so he purchases a realistic sex doll to work out some of his frustrations. Lisa begins to fall for Kenneth the more time they spend together. Kenneth finds that the doll is making him do horrible things so he cuts it up in his bathtub and throws it away. Soon afterward, Lisa finds out about the doll and leaves him, causing his world to crash down around him. He can’t afford to buy another doll, but through certain types of preservation, he can make Lisa into one.

 

This was surprisingly good. It wasn’t a jump-out-and-go-boo type of movie but it had that strange feeling that you get anticipating the boo for most of the movie. I was surprised to see actors like Rip Torn and Udo Kier in this movie; both played great parts. The scary aspect of this movie wasn’t the way it ended, though that was pretty cool, but the thought that there are hundreds of people out there with dangerous fantasies: what happens if more and more start acting them out?

 

You can probably find this in a bargain bin somewhere cheap, pick it up: 5 out of 5