"That's a nice-a donut."

Friday, April 01, 2005


Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

The title character in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a cold-blooded, ruthless monster. Yet, he is also a human being who sometimes shows compassion and even gets brief (albeit very brief) moments of sympathy. It is a macabre look into the mind and everyday life of a bad man. At times, it begs the question: are any of our friends, neighbors, coworkers, or acquaintances not what they seem?

Henry is living with his friend Otis and Otis' sister, Becky, who comes to stay with them to get away from her husband. Becky is a very likeable character, but is quite naïve. She feels a connection and takes an immediate liking to Henry. Otis seems like an okay guy at first, but is a bit of a doofus and lacks self-control. Things begin to unravel and, well, let's just say that the ending is pretty haunting.

Michael Rooker, who would later star in such films as Days of Thunder and Oliver Stone's masterpiece JFK, turns in a tremendous performance as Henry. This is a good, solid film. But, I couldn't help thinking that I would like to have seen more on Henry's everyday life and his relationships with other people. The movie is quite short (only about 82 minutes) and it leaves you wanting more.

The verdict: B+.

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