Love Of My Life (2013)

Review

"It has everything to do with everything, it's why we are here" - Surgeon

Julius just wants to get some sleep after pulling a particular gruelling day at work, including dealing with a dead body. However his best mate Reggie has other ideas and Julius finds himself dragged to a local bar for a few drinks. Reggie has a devious plan which involves Julius running interference for him while Reggie gets to know Keira, his date for the evening. Julius soon finds himself talking to Nicole, Keira's friend, and overcomes his initial misgivings about the evening. The couple hit it off, are soon dating heavily, get engaged at Reggie and Keira's wedding reception, and eventually break up due to Nicole making a big mistake.

Okay chick flick moments right, except this is all told in a series of flashbacks. Seems Julius is strapped to a hospital table and has a few decisions to make. A Surgeon, who isn't the full scrubs, has devised a test that would make Jigsaw proud. Julius needs to survive four days of intense pain as various body parts are removed or mutilated in order to save Nicole, who is locked up elsewhere in the abandoned hospital Julius finds himself in. If he can withstand the four days he will be killed on the fifth day and Nicole will be set free, however he can bug out at any time by simply saying "enough", the Surgeon will then let Julius go but will kill Nicole. Just how much can Julius endure in order to save an ex-wife who cheated on him?

Love Of My Life is one of those movies that is going to separate film lovers from the sort of people who flock to the cinema and then proceed to check their mobile phones for inane text messages during the "slow parts" of the movie. Director Michael Budd has thrown on a film that isn't linear, relies on the audience to pick up visual clues early, and has the sort of dialogue that you are going to have to listen to in order to work out just what is going down. It's also a movie of course that has a slasher protagonist to be reckoned with, and which slides on up to the borderline of gorenography and then skilfully avoids tipping itself into a blood stained mess. In short Michael Budd's debut feature is an adult horror come thriller made for cinema lovers. The movie dispenses with the gimmicks teens flock to the cinema to be regurgitated on by, so don't expect jump scares, loud music, or nekkid chicks.

I haven't seen a movie in quite a while that has a fixed progressive element, in this case Julius's endurance of five days of hell, think the seven days the Ring movies use as a device, that ladles in this much tension. With Love Of My Life the audience is very much wondering how many days Julius can withstand the increasingly brutality he suffers and just what might happen on the fifth day when the pre-ordained conclusion to festivities is promised. The clock is ticking in this movie almost from the first frame, now that had me bouncing on the edge of the sofa wondering what the next day might deliver. Of course there are any number of other questions, why exactly the Surgeon is conducting his "experiment", and of course why has Julius and Nicole stumbled into his sphere of interest, but the central plot device proves to be a winner.

There are so many visual clues going down that I was left wondering if the Director hadn't been overdosing on David Lynch. Michael Budd doesn't think he needs to overly explain things as what you see on the screen pretty much conveys the messages and plot developments the Director is aiming to get across, if you pay attention of course. For example early in the movie we follow the Surgeon down a corridor and note a whole bunch of leaves and other debris in a foray, the visual clue is the hospital is abandoned, hence explaining the time and place. Equally we have scenes where Julius is having his mutilated hand bandage and Nicole is having her hands bound, prior to chick fight night, in both cases the inference I drew was each character was preparing to fight. A lot of people are going to be wondering about Julius surviving his torment through day four. Budd indicates the reasons explicitly without having to belabour the point. Got to love a Director who shows respect for his audience, though I do forecast a backlash from North America, where they do love everything neon sign posted.

So the white elephant in the room is of course going to be the torture Julius suffers at the hands of one of the more disturbing antagonists of modern Australia horror cinema. You remember when you first saw The Texas Chainsaw Massacre circa 1974 and could have sworn you saw a lot of violent carnage, only to watch it again and note Tobe Hooper never actually explicitly shows the violence you thought you saw? Michael Budd pulls off the same trick, you think you see Julius losing a finger in a pretty harsh scene, you actually don't. Surprisingly gorehounds are going to be in their element, but most other horror fans are going to be comfortable. The body damage going down isn't the prime focus of the movie, though folk who have good imaginations are in for a rough ride. I really did a number on myself when the Surgeon moved his attention to Julius' feet; damn you Annie Wilkes! So yeah this isn't gorenography, we aren't descending into Eli Roth schlock, though I should warn readers that you are in for harsh times if dialling in for the romantic elements.

Okay so the movie isn't really about body mutilation, it's a plot device, Love Of My Love at its core is about a relationship, betrayal of that relationship, and ultimately how one person can still feel things for their ex. Hey we could say it's a chick flick, except with more surgical procedures than wine and roses. The story is told in flashback, including some amusing scenes - the sofa thing rocked my world, with the present intruding in some disturbing imagery. Julius is in his happy place rather than the sterile room he woke up in. For mine an excellent approach, the Director needed to explain Julius taking all that is dished out to him, and one that will keep audiences glued to the screen.

Running out of room here, in another flashback we learn why the Surgeon has embarked on a career defining experiment, and are left wondering just how many times he has done this before. Everything is explained kids, Michael Budd has your back and doesn't leave any plot point dangling, besides how Julius and Nicole were selected - which is pretty much the point, shite happens to the best of people.

Before I forget the Director also utilises another strong female character in horror movie. Julius is in no condition to physically fight back but Nicole has her background in kick boxing to fall back on as she seeks to change the gme. Makes a nice change from horror movies depicting chicks simply screaming and falling over while being chased by various psychos.

Behind the camera Budd has textured his movie wonderfully well. We're talking sterile conditions at the hospital that dripped blood, no colour folks, and the flashback scenes having this kind of 1950s look to them, once again sans colour. Budd has his mood and atmosphere happening without having to play around with strange camera angles or the zillion and one things Boredwood horror Directors now utilise rather than, say, talent.

Speeding up, Michael Budd gets the best out of his small cast. There are no weak performances going down with Bel Deliá (Nicole) in particular nailing her role. Enrica Sciandrone, yes an Italian, adds the score which really impacts and fully expands what we are seeing on the screen. Did I mention T&A yet? - not happening, sorry to disappoint, but the movie really doesn't need that injection.

I had a bunch more good things to say about this movie but have already outstayed my welcome. Take it from me you are really going to have to watch this movie, it's intense for sure, but we don't get enough adult orientated horror flicks for mine. Michael Budd demonstrates there's a lot of venom in Indie Australian cinema, and a lot of art as well, without resorting to the usual tropes that for mine hindered Downunder cinema. Love Of My Life is bound to be a cult classic, horror as horror should be, full recommendation, the Doctor will see you now!