Mikes Film Talk

Director/co-writer Justin Petty gives us the 2024 film Someone Dies! and it feels like we’re doing the time warp again. *You should be hearing the song from The Rocky Horror Picture show while reading that line, by the way.* The film feels like a “grindhouse” production, sans all those celluloid splits and flame outs.

Someone Dies! feels like John Dies at the End and Rocky Horror had a baby. One that grew up to become almost completely addled. In other words, any one of the three male members of the cast. The title feels like it is a homage of sorts to John Dies at the End. The filming style is also evocative of that oddly disjointed and, more often that not inane, work of Ed Wood.

Justin Petty and co-writer Amy Anderson present a world that is full of glitches, gaffs and holes in the timeline. Sunglasses change, cigarettes turn into vapes and the final twist at the end only confuses. *Although in an odd way, it is delightfully droll.

The Someone Dies! Story

A detective gets a “cryptic” note. He believes the note tells him that his daughter is in danger. Investigating leads him to a flat that contains a time machine. Hijinks ensue.

The Someone Dies! Cast

Joseph Graham is The Detective.

Anthony Obi is the Wizard.

Adam Edwards is Ivan.

Amy Anderson is Jane.

John Wessling is Glenn.

Cast is King/Queen

This one is perfectly cast. Wessling is good as the flat occupant who finds himself invaded. Anderson works well with her co-stars and all three manage to bounce off one another very well. Petty chose his cast wisely, he has worked with some of them before, and it shows. Obi, as the Wizard, is delightful.

Let’s Talk Someone Dies!

This film is not like your other time travel films. Looper (2012) for example, is about time machine travel where Bruce Willis comes back to stop his future wife being murdered. That film, which was brilliant by the way, was precise and never tries to explain itself too much. As Willis’ character says, (sic) “We’re not going to talk about time travel!” A lot like Petty’s film. The characters mention it, as well as inter dimensional possibilities. But they do not discuss it in depth.

Featuring the garbage disposal from hell, Someone Dies! has a version of time travel that is stumbled upon. It is an anachronism, apparently, that exists in Glenn’s flat. The plotline here shows us that this time travel machine only works with a specific amount of events occurring together. *Turning the disposal on whilst music is being created on a synth board. This allows whatever is under the sink to be displaced. A broom, a landlord…

Get it?

*At one point, there is a “music video” moment that is strangely evocative of Would you like to date my avatar from The Guild. See what you think, it may just be my brain that made the connection, however, faint.*

Disjointed

Petty’s film, despite feeling like a riff off of John Dies at the End and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, is disjointed. Events occur rather abruptly or spontaeneously; things appear or disappear randomly. The entire film feels like the kissing cousin of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, or at the very least James Franco’s homage to The Room.

Amusing

The film is amusing after a fashion. The dialogue feels more impromptu rather than scripted, but it works. It is classed as a comedy but, sadly, I found no laugh out loud moments. In fact, I spent most of the film wondering how these characters managed to make it unscathed to adulthood.

It Works Though

As long as you do not attempt to read too much into Someone Dies! it works. Clearly a lot of effort went into this project and it shows. The after effects of going through or activating the time machine are clever. A clear nod to time travel changing the present, a premise as old as the idea of time travel itself.

*The gore, such as the Russian “getting it” under the sink was impressive. As was the eye gag. Language in this one is rough, not for the minors of the audience, and I lost count of the “f**ks” used throughout.*

The Verdict

Someone Dies! earns a visibly trembling 3.75 stars, mainly for the overall arc of the film. For me, sadly, this is really not my cup of tea. If this is your idea of a good time, the film drops 21 October on Amazon. Make a cup of coffee and head on over. Give it a shot and see what you think. As always, the proof is in the viewing.

The Trailer