Some Guy Who Kills People

Although not a run-of-the-mill slasher flick, filmmaker Jack Perez's Some Guy Who Kills People is still essentially a throwback to the 1980s. A series of gruesome murders transpire in a small town soon after sad-sack Ken (Kevin Corrigan) returns from a stint in a mental hospital. Flashbacks reveal that Ken was brutalized in high school by a group of campus jocks, who are now the victims in over-the-top death sequences—sporting ridiculously cheesy effects—that are clearly meant to be humorous. Barry Bostwick is perfectly deadpan as Sheriff Walt Fuller, who is investigating the crimes while also romancing Ken's mother (Karen Black). Although the killing spree is at the center of the plot, much of the film is actually a character study of Ken, who is stuck in a dead-end job at an ice-cream parlor. Things look up when an attractive British woman named Stephanie (Lucy Davis) shows interest in Ken, and his life takes on new meaning when a daughter he never knew—precocious 11-year-old Amy (Ariel Gade)—decides to forge a relationship with her biological dad. Genre fans expecting Saw-style carnage will be disappointed when the movie turns into a sweet tale of a misfit finding acceptance and love, but given Corrigan's expert performance as a likable schlub, this indie effort might appeal to a more mainstream crowd. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer Ryan Levin and director Jack Perez, a “making-of” featurette (13 min.), Levin's 2007 short “The Fifth,” which inspired the film (13 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a better-than-expected indie film.] (F. Swietek)