Teenagers
and zombies both have bad skin and smell like feet. However, the similarities end with the risen
dead’s affinity for smooth jazz. At
least, that is how the zombie apocalypse rolls in Jeff Baena’s Life After Beth, which screens today
during the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Zach
Orfman was always inclined to be mopey, but the death of his out-of-his-league
girlfriend Beth Slocum really has him down. He is especially anguished because
their final awkward days of couplehood teetered on the brink of
splitsville. Seeking comfort in
proximity, Orfman starts spending time with Slocum’s parents, Maury and Geenie,
who also seem to take consolation from his presence. Then one day they freeze him out and close
off their entire house to the outside world.
Eventually,
Orfman discovers they are harboring the “resurrected” Slocum, who has no
memories of her fatal hiking misadventure.
The Slocums are determined to keep it that way. They allow Orfman to renew their
relationship, but insist he never tell her about her death or share the happy
news with the rest of the world. It is all good for a few days, until certain
changes start manifesting in Slocum. For instance, her skin is drier and her
behavior is more aggressive. We also get hints she might not be the only zombie
who came back.
Writer-director
Baena dexterously keeps the zombie apocalypse lurking just outside our field of
vision, focusing instead on the increasingly problematic relationship between
Orfman and Slocum. He also stays true to the logical necessities of zombie
movies in the redemptive third act climax.
However, the humor in After definitely
leans toward the mild chuckle end of the spectrum.
Aubrey
Plaza is the perfect choice for Slocum, jumping into the undead teenager angst and
zombie gore with both feet. In contrast,
Dane DeHaan’s Orfman is a leaden presence, stuck on moody brooding throughout
the film. He might be convincingly nebbish, but it is impossible to believe
someone with this kind of dead fish charisma could attract the reasonably
popular Slocum. While Paul Reiser (his second dad role in a Sundance film this
year) and Cheryl Hines are largely wasted as Orfman’s parents, John C. Reilly’s
shtick suits Maury Slocum rather well.
