Even the reality TV obsessed youtube
video-producing George and Barnes find Maya Angelou’s bromides ridiculously
cheesy. However, they probably should take the one about “when someone shows
you who they are, believe them the first time” a bit more to heart.
Unfortunately, they assume good-looking Joe Palmer is joking whenever he talks
about being a serial killer. Oh, but he’s not kidding. As a result, their
circle of friends will dramatically contract in Jim Hansen’s pretty damn funny
gay slasher comedy, You’re Killing Me (trailer here), which screens as
part of the inaugural Queer Horror Night at this year’s NewFest.
Palmer doesn’t really know his pop culture
references, because he was just released from the nut house. It seems his
treatment didn’t take. In the past, he only killed small animals, but he is about
to graduate to people. Since he is not comfortable with sex, he will just kill
his new boyfriend instead. At least the late Andy puts him onto George and
Barnes’ videos. When Palmer makes a point of bumping into him, George assumes
it is a meet-cute, but he really is stalking him. In fact, Palmer has an
endless supply serial killer jokes. George thinks they are a riot, but they are
the cold, hard truth. Eventually, Barnes starts to suspect something is not
right about Palmer, but by that point, the bodies are really starting to pile
up.
Frankly, YKM
skewers our contemporary reality TV-viral video obsessed society with more
wit and satiric insight than just about any recent comedy, regardless of
orientation. Hansen never really nostalgically calls back to fan favorite horror
films of years gone by, but he is certainly not stingy when it comes to blood
and guts. Essentially, the humor operates on two levels, blood splattered
slapstick and highly exaggerated but still wickedly smart cultural criticism.
If that isn’t enough for you, Mindy Cohn from The Facts of Life also shows up at the darnedest time.
Yet, despite the gory nuttiness, YKM still has a good heart. In large
measure, this is due to the riffing camaraderie of George and Barnes’
friendship. Co-writer Jeffery Self and Bryan Safi are terrific as the aspiring
celebrities. Self also maintains the energy level almost single-handedly when
playing off Matthew McKelligon’s suspiciously reserved Palmer.
