Film Review: DEADLY FAMOUS (a.k.a. Head Shot) (2014)

DEADLY FAMOUS (a.k.a. Head Shot) **** USA 2014 Dir: Jim Lane & Eric Troop 89 mins

Former child actor Alan Miller (Daniel O'Meara) still strives for fame and fortune. He takes his acting very seriously yet even after all these years is only able to land himself an audition for an erectile dysfunction commercial due to his reputation. He also enjoys passing on his skills and ideas to aspiring actresses. He rents out a room at his house to pretty, blonde and bubbly actress Pamela (Jackie Moore). She and Alan become friends, however as her career begins to move forward Alan's obsession with her becomes out of control.
I feel like I'm forgetting something here... Oh yes, Alan is also a completely insane, narcissistic, serial killer that delights in documenting all stages of his kills. This is a fantastic character based found footage style insight into the mind and lifestyle of a seriously disturbed human being. The majority of the kills are seen from behind Miller's camera be it set up somewhere or with Miller behind it. It portrays a chilling sense of unease throughout and peaks your curiosity with the way the kills play out. A lot of which are off screen or very briefly glimpsed designed to play out in your imagination which works incredibly well, yet others are graphically revealed to hit home a feeling of immense discomfort. Really well acted from every cast member with O'Meara putting in a truly awesome performance portraying Miller. This also has a great cameo from Eric Roberts as himself. Being an actor friend of Miller's who visits several times to read through scripts, drink, shoot the breeze "83.85% of every movie I've been in was shit" and declares himself "a coke whore". The blood and violence comes across as very real and looks fantastic but its not just the gore that is the highlight of this movie, it makes you feel uneasy with the well timed and executed build ups and camera angles that give it that feeling of unpleasantness. It has a low budget look and feel to it but I liked the way it was shot and directed with the soundtrack being a fitting accompaniment to this chilling, unnerving and brutal movie that gets a thumbs up from me.

Review by Sarah Budd