‘Your next stop… inner serenity.’
A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life is a 2019 British comedy horror-thriller film about a self-help addict unwittingly finds herself on a killing spree with her unhinged life coach.
Written and directed by Staten Cousins Roe, the Forward Motion Pictures production stars Katie Brayben, Poppy Roe and Sarah Ball.
Reviews:
“It’s darkly comedic and Lou coming face to face with her idol, Chuck Knoah, leads to a wonderful twist at the end that acts as the perfect metaphor for the trade-in delusion Staten Cousins Roe observes and mocks throughout.” BritFlicks
“The setup is simple but effective, the characters are fun and relatable, the victims are well-chosen and sufficiently annoying, and the conclusion is satisfying thanks to two really great central performances from Brayben and Roe, I just wanted a bit more blood and guts when push came to shove.” BRWC
“All-round, A Serial Killers Guide to Life is a strong debut, full of wit, laughs and warmth – From its high quality of writing and production, it’s hard to believe this is Cousin Roe’s first feature-length piece. Go for the premise, stay for the performances.” Critical Popcorn
“An end-of-second act story shift will be spotted by those paying attention. But, this does not detract from a film that would make a good double bill with Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers. Or Withnail and I for that matter… An irresistibly English serial killer tale, its bladed humour cuts like a Jamie Oliver 6-piece Acacia Knife Block set. Leaving blood all over the new curtains.” Electric Shadows
“it’s clear early on that the women’s spree will be a short one, leaving only their relationship and Lou’s character arc as sources of uncertainty. Fun though Val is, she’s not a very complex character, leaving limited room for manoeuvre. Towards the end the film begins to flounder and it never quite delivers the knockout blow that viewers might be hoping for.” Eye for Film
“Writer-director Staten Cousins Roe raises the possibility early that Val is a Tyler Durden-like projection of Lou’s inner Mrs Hyde, though this doesn’t entirely go down that route […] The leads have to play fairly extreme characters – Lou’s fecklessness and Val’s diva act are sustained notes – but spark well off each other. It also has an overcast, chintzy, weak tea and digestive biscuit vision of the British seaside small town that drips away horribly.” The Kim Newman Web Site
“Life-coaches have become the secular world’s replacement for faith healers and snake-oil peddling preachers, and while a small, gullible section of the population fall for their dubious sales pitches, most of us hold them in contempt. They’re an easy target then for a satire, and it’s initially humourous to see these pretentious twats get bludgeoned and stabbed by Val, but after a while it becomes a little monotonous…” The Movie Waffler
“Roe’s decision to combine his murderous self-help satire with the sentimental trappings of a road movie and the film’s pitch-perfect cast make A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life a fun engaging trip into unlocking the true potential of its scalpel-sharp premise.” Pop Horror
Release:
A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life premiered at the Arrow Video FrightFest 2019 in London in August. The film was released on Digital HD in the U.S. and Canada on January 13th, 2020.
Cast and characters:
- Katie Brayben … Lou Farnt
- Poppy Roe … Val Stone
- Sarah Ball … Maureen Farnt
- Carys Lewis … Rachel
- Chris Bishop … Laughter Leader Chris
- Sian Clifford … Cynthia
- Maya Cooper … Laughter Therapy Maya
- Mandy Dassa … Chatty Rebirthing Woman
- Jonny Davidson … Laughter Therapy Jonny
- David Eaton … Laughter Therapy David
- Tomiwa Edun … Ben
- Fiona Glascott … Sharon Deliver-Brant
- Joshua Higgott … Rebirthing Rupert
- Ben Lloyd-Hughes … Chuck Knoah
- Harry Long … Harry Deliver-Brant
Filming locations:
Brighton, East Sussex, England
Technical details:
81 minutes
Working title:
Self-Help
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