Rob Stefaniuk:  Joey
Jessica Paré:  Jennifer
Dave Foley:  Jeff
Malcom McDowell: 
                               Eddie Van Helsing
Henry Rollins:  Rockin’ Roger
Alice Cooper:  The Bartender
Iggy Pop:  Victor
Moby:  Beef
Alex Lifeson:  Border Guard

Release Date: September, 28 2010
Studio: Alliance Films /
E1 Entertainment
Genre: Horror / Fantasy
Rated: R     1 hr 31 mins

CAST:

Suck

October 13, 2010

Reviewer: Rottenbucher

DIRECTOR:

Rob Stefaniuk

*Comments:

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Take a handful of musician-actors, a seasoned veteran of genre pieces and a budding actor-writer-director helming an indie road trip/comedy/music/horror film and it’s bound to end up a gimmicky celluloid snoozefest, right?  Not in the case of Suck. 

The endlessly touring The Winners just can’t live up to their name and their sleazy manager Jeff (Dave Foley) asks to be fired. After another stale gig, bassist Jennifer (Jessica Paré, Mad Men) decides she is going to hang out with a friend while the band, including her ex-boyfriend/vocalist/guitarist Joey (Rob Stefaniuk, also director of the film), opt to sleep yet again in their touring vehicle of choice, a hearse. The problem is, Jennifer’s newfound friend is actually a vampire and when she returns to the band after her one night stand, she’s running low on blood but long in the teeth. The band eventually learns she is a bloodsucker and one-by-one they turn.  Only Joey is the hold out as he thinks going from hip pop-rock losers to goth-drenched pale-skinned rockers isn’t what the band is about.  As their fan base grows and Joey and Jennifer’s relationship gets even more strained and blood-stained, vampire hunter Eddie Van Helsing (Malcom McDowell) shows up to stop the neck-nibbling.

On the surface, there is nothing strikingly unique about Suck.  It’s a rather standard yarn that by some wild chance successfully meshes together all of the genres it borrows from. But somehow, the story is very engaging and the actors do a great job of making their characters likeable so that watching a film about a cruddy band dealing with vampirism fully grasps your attention.

Paré steals the show with her acting and transformation. She makes for great eye candy looking like a sexed up, overly goth Parker Posey and her ability to teeter between tortured artist turned vampire to former lover of a complete dork is fantastic. Stefaniuk also nails his role as the over-stressed rock visionary.  Supporting band members Tyler (Paul Anthony) and Hugo (Chris Ratz) also bring a great deal of depth and even comedy.  Veteran Malcom McDowell plays his character by rote but somehow his brief time on screen is charming as the nyctophobic vampire slayer.  Henry Rollins, Moby and Alice Cooper seems to have a bit too much fun with their roles, but even their bombastic performances add a nice layer.  Rush’s Alex Lifeson even shows up and gets a few laughs while Iggy Pop looks as rough as ever.

The look of the film is also fantastic. Great, vivid colors make the sets jump to life.  Suck also looks like a music video on several occasions.  Granted, The Winners do show us a video for their new hit song, but a lot of the color palates, editorial choices and shot compositions in the film clearly were inspired by MTV.  Somehow it works and even gels with the poppy garage rock soundtrack.

Suck is a rather reserved film. That doesn’t mean the film is low on gore as there is plenty of splashing sanguine stuff, blood-dripping maws and even some dismemberment. It’s just that the film brings the horror and comedic elements back down to a subtle level.  And this has been missing from everything in the both genres for quite some time.  Sure, Slayer fans are not going to dig the soundtrack nor will the throngs of Twilight fiends dig the rather tame vampire and romantic antics. Suck is intelligent and classy with a well placed bit of camp on top. Cinephiles looking for an engaging flick that completely entertains rather than endlessly assaults will surely sink their teeth into Suck. Recommended.