Review of Serial Killing 4 Dummys

Malcontent and sardonic teenage misfit Casey Noland (a solid and likable performance by Justin Urich) aspires to be a notorious serial killer. Fellow suicidal kook Sasha Fitzgerald (a nice and appealing portrayal by adorable singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb) wants to be Noland's first victim. Meanwhile, a real serial killer is terrorizing the neighborhood. Writer/director Trace Slobotkin relates the hilariously wacky story at a constant brisk pace, maintains an appropriately amusing tongue-in-cheek tone throughout, and populates the movie with a colorful array of spot-on enjoyable broad stereotypes. This movie further benefits from lively acting from an enthusiastic cast: Urich and Loeb do super work in the lead roles (the romance that develops between these two endearing oddballs is genuinely sweet and charming), Thomas Haden Church almost steals the whole show with his marvelously obnoxious turn as ruthless ramrod gym coach Vince Grimaldi, Corey Feldman has a neat bit as a dorky, buck-toothed hardware store clerk, plus there are fine contributions by Rick Overton as geeky wannabe hip guidance counselor Mr. Korn, George Murdock as crusty, rumpled homicide Detective Ray Berro, Barbara Niven as Casey's concerned mother Donna Noland, Raymond O'Connor as creepy sleazeball voyeur janitor Frank, Stuart Stone as Casey's screwball nerd buddy Emil, and Esther Scott as cheery, earnest school psychiatrist Sally Lindon. The wickedly sidesplitting sense of inspired playfully sick humor elicits plenty of laughs; Casey's deranged daydreams are positively hysterical and the dialogue is often priceless (favorite line: "I have the skill - to kill!"). The final confrontation between Casey and the killer is a total gut-buster. John P. Tarver's slick cinematography, Jeffrey Alan Jones' funky score, and the groovy alt-rock soundtrack all further enhance the infectiously loopy fun to be relished in this absolute hoot.