Butterfly Kisses

It’s that thread of cynicism and self-awareness – further supported by interview segments with real-life personalities such as film critic David Sterritt, an editor from Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot series, and a “special guest” whose appearance is so perfectly apropos, it ought not be spoiled – that successfully establishes Butterfly Kisses as a smart alternative to standard fright-flick fare. It also makes the gradual dissolution of Gavin’s career and personal life feel that much more crushing, as he doggedly and hopelessly pursues a project that both experts and potential audiences come to see as nothing but shameless manipulation. Kallick really sells the character’s persistence and growing desperation, which, as in American Movie, leads to some particularly selfish and ugly behavior on his part. Even as Butterfly Kisses ramps up the traditionally spooky stuff in its final half hour, it’s Gavin’s tragic and relatable story that really resonates in the end.

As thoughtful and original as Butterfly Kisses is, it’s fair to question who, exactly, the film is really for. It’s the kind of thing that’s bound to play like gangbusters at film festivals, where savvy, cinematically-literate audiences will fully appreciate all its references, commentary, and self-reflexive genre critique. More casual horror audiences, however, will likely be expecting something more conventionally and consistently scary. Nevertheless, the spirit of The Blair Witch Project and American Movie, and the reasons those instant classics have endured have rarely been evoked and – even more fascinatingly – questioned and debated as engagingly as they are here.

Butterfly Kisses (2018) Written and directed by Erik Kristopher Myers. Starring Seth Adam Kallick, Rachel Armiger, Reed DeLisle, Eileen Del Valle, Matt Lake, David Sterritt, Steve Yeager, Andy Wardlaw

7.5 out of 10