I'd heard a lot of god things about My Friend Dahmer so i thought i'd give it a go and here are my thoughts.
Based on the early life of one of Americas most prolific and twisted serial killers My friend Dahmer tells the events of his college days that led up to his first human kill. He had killed many times before but mainly small animals and had a collection of roadkill that he kept in a shed in vats of acid because he liked to see the bones. The film opens with Dahmer the school loner on his school bus and as they drive past a man jogging it immediately grabs his attention as well as jumping straight into his homosexual fantasies. The jogger plays a repeated part during the film as he also jogs daily past Dahmer's home which a young Jeffery notices and extends his passing interest to eventually hiding in the bushes daily to see the guy jog past unknowingly playing into his murderous/sexual fantasies.
He eventually comes out of himself a little bit when one day his father buys him some dumbells and tells him to get fit and get noticed, Basically get a life and some friends. He does start to work out but then puts on an act at school that he calls "The Spaz" basically mocking the disabled. This gets the attention of a group of boys who want to get a club together with Dahmer at the helm, He agrees and looks like he has finally been accepted, Looking like his life is turning around his mum announces that she and his father are splitting up and her and his brother will be moving out to go live with his grandma. Jeffery then starts to hit the booze and drugs , his downward spiral starts with his drinking and his trying to shock people getting more and more extreme and out of control.
Ross Lynch who used to be a star on the Disney Chanel plays Dahmer brilliantly and creepily looks very much like a young Jefferey.
I personally have read a lot and seen a lot of documentaries on Jeffery Dahmer and it does stick to his story superbly. I wouldn't say you would need to know a lot a about Dahmer to enjoy this which is good. It certainly is a slow burn but never drops off so slow that it loses your interest. All i can say is don't go into this expecting a "Serial Killer" movie and for me personally it was very refreshing seeing such subject matter from a fresh perspective.
All in all it's a definite high recommend from me.
8/10.
Jonny T.
