Written and directed by Addison Heimann
Starring Zach Villa, Devon Graye, Paget Brewster, Marlene Forte
Unrated
Runtime: 96 minutes
In theaters July 29, available digitally August 4

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

Content warnings: Violence against children, abuse, depictions of mental illness

Mental illness can be a terrifying thing, which makes it unsurprising that it is a topic ripe for the horror genre. A plethora of films deal with a variety of mental health issues and their success varies greatly. While we have come a long way since the days of the “mental patient escapes and kills a bunch of teens” horror trope, there are still plenty of ways filmmakers can get mental illness wrong. But then a gem like Hypochondriac comes along and takes its concept seriously while also being a tender, funny, and scary film. I missed a chance to check this out at a festival earlier in the year so I am thrilled that I got a second chance to see this film and gush about what a great entry it is in the horror genre.

Will (Zach Villa) is a young potter who has spent years trying to escape the childhood trauma his mother put him through. He has a loving boyfriend Luke (Devon Graye) and a stable job. Then he begins to get phone calls and packages from his mother. While he refuses to answer her calls the shock of having his father back in his life begins to trigger his traumatic memories. He begins to see things and the lines between reality and fiction blur, making him concerned that he is following in is mothers footsteps which could potentially ruin the life he has tried to make for himself.

Hypochondriac fits well alongside films like The Babadook and Relic. All of these movies manage to create scary atmospheric horror while also being tender with the real life struggles of mental illness and trauma. Whether it be grief, dementia, or schizophrenia, the emulate horrors steeped in reality while also being entertaining. There also tends to be great messaging with this subsect of horror; accept the ghosts, demons, or other ills that are a part of us. It is that deep, messy, unpleasant emotional excavating that no one actually wants to do but is essential to our growth. I love seeing this portrayed on screen especially as someone who deals with similar issues. Hypochondriac shows a very personal journey of someone who is no longer able to run from their past and must find ways to work with it or be consumed by it. I felt the whole spectrum of emotions watching this.

While its social/emotional messaging really worked for me, it also manages to be a very effective horror film. The monstrous manifestation the movie uses is legitimately creepy, and seems to pay tribute to Frank the terrifying bunny figure from Donnie Darko. Hypochondriac also does a great job of making its audience go along the same ride that Will is going on. Oftentimes we are just as in the dark about what is real and what is fiction much like Will is. It creates an unease and distrust of what we are seeing before us. There is a great scene where Will decides to take shrooms while away at a cabin with his boyfriend. As soon as the drugs kick in we see the screen become distorted and sway in the background. And once his intrusive thoughts begin to ruin his trip we see how quickly he becomes terrified and paranoid about the surroundings he is in. We see the encroaching darkness and the monstrous manifestations that begin to follow him. It deepens the empathy we have for Will and the impending terrors that are coming for him.

I have not seen Zach Villa in anything else but I was immediately in love with his performance on screen. His portrayal of the character Will is wonderful. Will feels like such a real character. We see him be tender and funny with his co-worker, we see him appease his out of touch boss (while giving her an eye roll as soon as she turns her back), and we see him flirt and seduce his boyfriend Luke. We also see how the trauma he dealt with as a child has made him fiercely independent which causes him to struggle as he opens himself up to this new relationship. He also uses a hefty dose of humor as a defense mechanism, something I can relate to more than I care to admit. Hypochondriac is so tender with Will as we watch him deal with insurmountable terror. Zach Villa gives so much life to this role and he is a tremendous screen presence. I hope I get a chance to see him on screen many more times.

This is also a great entry into the queer horror subgenre. Watching Will and Luke try to deepen their relationship while Will struggles to open up about the horrors he is facing is heartbreaking to watch. The two have so much chemistry and we see how hard it is for them to work through these issues as a team. I was truly rooting for them throughout the movie. It is also refreshing to see a queer characters that do not have to struggle with their identity, coming out, or having issues with their family related to their sexuality. It is simply never called into question and I find it refreshing to see more stories like this.

Hypochondriac is a scary, moving, and gorgeous film that has so many layers. It has tremendous performances and successfully embeds drama, romance and comedy elements into its core horror story. This is one of the best horror films of the year and I hope people take the opportunity to seek it out and enjoy a unique entry into queer horror, indie filmmaking, and mental health stories.