Review: Your Monster (2024)
People are often say that the rom-com genre is dead. They’re not completely wrong. The rom-com of the 2000’s have been gone decades ago but rom-com is still a strong genre. It’s just with monsters now.
Your Monster was a movie that not only met the expectation for being entertaining but surpassed it by being an amazing multi-faceted piece of work.
As with most rom-coms, It begins with a breakup but it’s the the ultimate worst kind of break up. The heroine in the movie, Laura Franco (played by Melissa Barrera), is dumped by her boyfriend while she lies on the hospital bed dealing with her cancer. Yes, he leaves her while she just diagnosed with cancer. Deep, deep red flags there. Yet, she still has eyes for him during her recovery. Even sadder, she has not support system. Her friend does the bare minimum and picks her up from the hospital. Laura’s parents are away traveling somewhere.
She is all alone as she recuperates at her childhood home. There, he goes through the various phases of a breakup: denial, self-loathing, burning through tissue boxes while endlessly crying, and eating. Possibly unable to witness Laura’s path of self-destruction anymore, a monster (played by Tommy Dewey) emerges from the upstairs closet doors. This monster is no stranger to Laura. he has always been by her side even as a child and now he’s still here years later ready to provide support in his own unusual way.
To be clear, this is most definitely a movie involving a very adult romantic relationship between a monster and a human. For anyone who enjoys the unconventional romance stories beyond regency skirts and highlanders, this movie will definitely be a ticklish delight. Yes, there is a sex scene and it is delightful.
Beyond the romance and sex, this is a fantastic movie about relationships and boundaries. There are so many funny and romantic moments but there’s still so much to unpack. For starters, Laura’s stubborn resolve to go back to a man who dumped her at her most vulnerable state is already grimacing. Under the guise of gaining back her status by trying out for the role that he wrote for her in a play is awkward. Then having to be in the play as a supporting cast while watching your ex date the main star that is not her is beyond painful. The pain that Laura is going through is a straight road into self-destruction. As supportive as the monster is of her plan to get the toxic ex back, is he really being supportive under the guise of love or is he acting on his monster side by encouraging the chaos?
It’s darkly humorous with the very strange antics between the two. Especially when the shabby dressed monsters acts on his very violent passions. The “scary” bits are quickly followed by the super cute and romantic party scenes such as when they dance together at a Halloween work party. The chaotic fun is elevates the audience to the same unreal mental state that Laura is experiencing. This cute, horrific, sexy, and entertaining movie is so convincing at portraying itself as a romantic movie that the ending will leave audiences breathless.
Your Monster deserves a much, much longer run in the theaters. This movie quickly became the top rated movie that has been reviewed by Squeedar for all of 2024. The movie may still be playing at your local theater. The best ending comment that can be provided is to go watch it now. Right now.
As a bonus goodie, listen to this song first. Then watch the movie. Then listen to the song again. Wild how the perception changed didn’t it?!
Official website: https://www.yourmonstermovie.com/
