NOW ON VIDEO ON DEMAND! No one has to tell you that social media is in and of itself a horror show, and director Tyler Michael James’ thriller feature, Low Life, only proves that it is.
Benny (Wes Dunlap) is an “emerging” YouTube star… only in his mind. It’s all about producing content and finding ways to be provocative and unique at the same time. Benny thinks he found his niche in catfishing predators, then luring and confronting them for some “gotcha” videos. The problem is because of his methods, the evidence he collects is inadmissible in court. However, that is merely a side note, as his YouTube numbers are growing. Looking for that one big catch, Benny’s next target is his protege, Nicole’s (Lucy Urbane) math teacher, Jason (Lucas Neff).
Jason also happens to be the father of Nicole’s best friend, Megan (Luna Montana). The setup is simple. Nicole invites him over to her house for a “tutoring” session. When Jason arrives, Benny and his buddies invite him to play poker with them while Benny is secretly filming the night. To get Jason to open up, Benny says that the group is also into “underage sex.” Think of this whole situation as what if Chris Hansen turned To Catch a Predator into a prank show. Of course, the best (or worst) laid plans of Benny turn the night into an out-of-control s**t show.
Low Life is essentially the downward spiral of Benny’s attempt at becoming the next viral YouTube sensation. In films like Spree, we’ve seen several stories of the downfall of social media influencers, and this isn’t all that different. Benny’s annoying from the start, but James forces us to wrestle with finding any sympathy for Benny, and that’s the best part of the film.
“Benny thinks he found his niche in catfishing predators…”
Like most social-media types, doing good is a way to get likes and clicks versus doing good for its own sake. Benny wants to expose pedophiles but must do it in an over-sensationalized way and, in the process, makes one horrific decision after the other, i.e., the pedo poker party. His charisma lures his unwitting friends in to help. At the same time, his over-eager protege Nicole follows in his footsteps, providing photos of her as bait, which sets off a hilarious conflict between Benny and herself.
Dunlap is the centerpiece of Low Life. He’s got the performance and attitude of a desperate YouTuber down pat… he’s almost too perfect. But, the true star here is the screenplay by Hunter Milano and Noah Rotter. Like any thriller, the fun is all in the ride. Everything leading up to the poker party is all about Benny’s desperation, but in the second half, all of Benny’s plans begin to unravel in ways you never see coming. He pushes his target to the limits (remember, this guy’s a predator) but also pushes himself to commit some extremely dicey actions.
At the start of the second act, there’s also this sense that there is no turning back for any of the participants. Benny sets off a lot of moving pieces, and he quickly loses control of everyone and everything. So, the film becomes an exercise in digging and digging that hole without ever a chance of getting out.
Can Low Life be a cautionary tale for aspiring social media stars? It feels like this is just the wrong direction we’re heading down. That said, James’ feature is a non-stop rollercoaster that will leave you frazzled long after it’s over, just before getting back on the ride.
"…a non-stop rollercoaster..."
