User Reviews

Based on real-life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who was active primarily in Wisconsin in the 1980s, this film focuses on a few key episodes in Dahmer's life.

If you're at all familiar with the facts about Jeffrey Dahmer--and probably a hefty percentage of people interested in the film are familiar with Dahmer to some extent--it's difficult to watch this film without strong expectations. The problem is that under those expectations, Dahmer isn't likely to be the film you want it to be. It might work better if you're unfamiliar with the background material, but on the other hand, it might be too disjointed to work in that case. You need a familiarity with Dahmer's life to piece the film together as you watch it.

That's not to say that the film is a complete failure. In fact, I gave it a 7 out of 10. Jeremy Renner, who plays Dahmer, is fantastic. Bruce Davison, as Dahmer's father, and Artel Kayaru, as Rodney, also turn in great performances. Writer/director David Jacobson chose to make the film a psychological portrait, rather than a chronological retelling of Dahmer's misdeeds, and rather than focusing on the lurid details of the crimes. After the first 20 minutes or so, the film becomes non-sequential, and links together a number of events that provide clues (as much of a clue as we can have, at least) into Dahmer's behavior. We see Dahmer interacting with his family (primarily his grandmother and father) in a peculiar, distanced way. We see him discovering and trying to come to terms with his homosexuality in a twisted way. We see his desire for intimacy. We see actions taken by the police that would be unbelievable if we didn't know that they actually happened that way, more or less. We see him constantly drinking alcohol through most of these events. This makes up the bulk of the film. In fact, we only see Dahmer kill two humans during the course of the film, and both are relatively not graphic, and relatively quick events.

All of this was intriguing to me, but I wanted the lurid details to be explored more. Dahmer was a man who conducted experiments on his victims, trying to turn some of them into lobotomized, robot-like companions. He kept vats of acid in his apartment to dispose of body parts. He had a severed head in his refrigerator. He cannibalized victims and engaged in necrophilia. To make a film about Dahmer where these things are not explored not only downplays the severity of his crimes, but it also leaves out fairly essential aspects of Dahmer's character, if this is to be a character study. I found myself regularly checking the running time, wondering how and when Jacobson was going to get to this other material before the film had to end. And for someone unfamiliar with Dahmer, they probably would spend a lot of time trying to figure out why the film keeps jumping from one event to another, frequently going back and forth with the same events.

The bottom line is that while this film is more than worthwhile as a kind of extended footnote, a much better film about Dahmer needs to be made. Let's just hope that we can get someone as gifted in the role as Renner to be in that film.

People seem really disgusted by the film, but the only thing that disgusts me are the negative reviews. This is a very well-made film that was put together on a very low budget. Films like this always have the immediate handicap of focusing not only on an evil, psychotic main character, but focusing on an evil, psychotic main character who we all know. There weren't too many complaints about "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (a great film) focusing on a psychopath, but that's because Tom Ripley is a fictional character. Like everybody, I believe that what Jeffrey Dahmer did was wrong, and I feel sorry for all the families who lost sons and other relatives due to him. But this movie was not made to portray him as a hero, nor a villain. It's meant to portray him as a person. We all know about the crimes that Dahmer committed. But we don't know about Dahmer himself. We don't what drove Dahmer to madness, and what led up to the subsequent rapes, murders and eventual cannibalism. And the movie doesn't try to shock us with gory details of these grisly occurrences, because that's not its intention. There's no use showing us what we already know.

I found this biopic deeply fascinating. I learned a lot about Dahmer that I never knew previously. I can't say I relate to him that much, other than being lonely and an only child, but that didn't stop me from seeing how he was as a human being. While watching the film, I said to myself, "How come we don't learn much about his family life?" Maybe his family life had nothing to do with choosing to be that way. Not every serial killer commits murder because he was abused as a child. From the looks of things, he had a pretty well-to-do upbringing.

What I did get a sense of was his alienation and shyness. He felt his homosexuality served as a handicap in his society. And he wasn't brilliantly sociable, so he didn't have an easy time making friends or getting guys to go out with him, or have sex with him for that matter. But his perversions took him so far that he'd walk into a gay bar and slip roofies into guys' drinks (which is shown in an extended montage), take them to the back and have sex with them as they're helpless and passed out. It's interesting to find out this can happen among homosexuals as well. There's a long history of guys slipping roofies into women's drinks to get them in the sack, so Dahmer was no different from any horny heterosexual guy, only he took it many steps further.

One thing I must criticize is the use of flashbacks. When I first watched the film, I had the impression that the whole movie was about young Jeffrey Dahmer and the story was told in a linear fashion. But after watching the featurette and watching it a second time with the commentary, I realized that the movie was bouncing back and forth from Jeffrey in his later years to Jeffrey in his earlier years. I personally didn't think slapping facial hair on him made him look much older. He still looked like he was in his twenties, so I had no hint of his aging. Once I watched it a second time, the story became much more clear to me, but others watching it for the first time might get confused as well.

I liked the use of lighting. Jeffrey's room is lit completely red, giving it almost a hell-ish appearance. And towards the end, the lighting becomes much darker, as Dahmer becomes more evil.

The performances are good all-around. Jeremy Renner does an incredible job at playing Dahmer, expressing a laundry list of emotions with his face and body language alone. I kept trying to recall where I saw him before, since his face looked very familiar, and then I checked his filmography and found out he was in "National Lampoon's Senior Trip." Of course, this movie gave him a much better opportunity at showing off his acting abilities. Talented, underrated actor Bruce Davison makes a few appearances as Dahmer's father, also doing an incredible job the 10 minutes-or-so he's on screen.

Though I found the film fascinating and thought-provoking, I still wish I could've learned a little more about what drove Dahmer to madness. The director mentioned it wasn't his intention to give backstory on Dahmer's life, and instead make it an emotional drama, but it would've made the film more interesting. But one scene that caught me completely by surprise was when young Jeffrey cringing when cutting up one of his victim's bodies and eventually bursting into tears. I'm sure his remorse decreased over the years, but I don't ever visualize a serial killer feeling shame about his victims. I saw John Liszt (sp) in an interview once and he described his methods of mutilating his victims without batting an eye. So this is not exactly the movie's cue to have the audience feel sorry for Dahmer and cry along with him, but it's enlightening to find out that had emotions as well. He was just so driven by his psychological sicknesses that his emotions couldn't hinder him.

My score: 8 (out of 10)

Jeremy Renner is extraordinary as Jeffery Dahmer! Filmed in a stylish way that is quite enjoyable while being creepy. I understand the ratings/negativity it is a bit odd and low budget sense to it. I've been fascinated by serial killer type stories for awhile I'm glad I recently bought this twisted film on Blu-Ray!

"Dahmer" tries to tell one of the most horrific stories of recent years. But the whole story of Jeffrey Dahmer does not get told in this movie. There are some shocking moments, but most of the movie gets bogged down in flashbacks (and even flashbacks-within-flashbacks). At some points, you cannot tell if you're watching another flashback or the present moment in the story. Jeremy Renner plays the title character, with an adequately creepy air. Some of his ghastly crimes are shown, while the gore is kept to a minimum. And Dahmer's homosexuality is mentioned, but much of it is kept just off-camera, as evidenced by the montage of Jeffrey's date rape drug-fueled sodomy marathons. This movie does not try to present Jeffrey Dahmer as Dr. Hannibal Lecter. (How could anyone glamorize this murderer?) But I would have preferred some kind of analysis as to why he became a killer. The strange and tragic story of Jeffrey Dahmer left a lot of people sad and wanting answers. But this movie left me wanting satisfaction.

I did hear a lot of bad buzz about this movie; mainly people were complaining that it was boring. The movie starts out with Jeffrey living alone in his apartment ready to kill his next victim, an Asian boy and meeting another one at the same time, Rodney. We get many flashbacks of when he was young and when he committed his first murder.

So was it boring? Hell No! Well for me it was never boring because from the beginning we are captivated by this lonely and troubled man. The reason behind this was due to Jeremy Renner's real and absorbing portrayal that should stand out as one of the best performances of 2002. Another reason it was never boring was because of its catchy dialogue. Jeffrey had some really though provoking things to say. The best conversations were between Jeffrey and Rodney who was played by Artel Kayaru. He was magnetic and he gave the second best performance.

People who thought that this movie was boring were probably expecting more scenes of Jeff killing all his victims. We don't see all of the crimes and that's because this film was more of a character study than a gore infested horror film. There were some creepy and disturbing scenes but nothing intensely frightening. Only one particular scene that caught me by surprise---oh,that really freaked me out. Great scene, I loved it because it didn't have any music and it was very well directed. It's really weird to feel sorry and be moved by a killer and it's the first time I ever felt that way.

and not OTT serial killer film I've seen. I like the whole view of Dahmer as a very lonely kid. On reading about him you, or rather I, get that impression. Autophobia is a terrifying thing to suffer from and I can see how this, in an unstable mind, could lead to what he did.

The performances were great, especially from Jeremy Renner. The camera work was superb. The blending of flash backs with real time events were smooth and stylish. the soundtrack in fact was quite good too.

We all know the outline of your average serial killer e.g broken family - killing animals - beaten by mother - go kill women etc etc. Dahmer didn't fit this, probably why he got away with it so often and probably why he's more interesting than any of the other psychopaths out there. I think you'll find it dull if you are looking for blood and gore but Dahmer wasn't one of those kind of killers, he killed for company, not blood lust.

Let's face it: people who will watch this to see violence or some of the acts of the most notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, will be disappointed.

The reason?

That's because the film doesn't at all emphasize in Dahmers sadism or cruelty - it's a human look into the mind of an inhuman psycho. Well, I suppose the film is trying to be objective. Not to merely shock, but then again there's too few of Dahmer's unspeakable acts, that one might wonder what the writer/director was trying to do?

Anyway, watch this if you like serial killer films, but don't expect too much. Give it a try, it's quite decent and serious film.

The first time I viewed this film. I thought it was pure trash. But for some strange reason many moons later - I watched it again. And really liked it a lot. And that's why I recommend watching it the first time with an open mind. And not expecting a gorefest. Myself - being a big fan of the horror genre. Expected to see Jeffrey depicted as a homosexual lune - carvin/sexin' up guys left and right. I mean I had read about him some and knew there was more to him then this psycho. But I figured a movie about him would want to focus on the killings for shock value. Boy was I in for it. This movie doesn't focus on Jeffrey the killer. But Jeffrey the person. And really succeeds in doing so in my opinion. But rambling on - I want to leave reader's with this. If you're planning to watch this movie. Please do so with an open mind - and not expecting the stereotypical Jeffrey Dahmer. You'll be disappointed if you don't.

By the way: I want to give some praise to writer/director David Jacobson. Very talented guy imo. I'll definitely be looking into more of his projects. Jeremy Renner as well. Really nice job portraying Dahmer on screen. Good casting choice.

I was surprised at this movie. I was expecting a real exploitation flick, packed with heads in freezers, boiled skulls and necromance painted across the celluloid with a generous brush. It's nothing like that. It's a very quiet and introverted picture, focusing on the inner workings of Jeffrey Dahmer. It's very well shot, and the guy playing Jeffrey does a great job of it. The result is a lot more intense than the obvious splatterfest version would have been.

But, I must admit, I still found the movie lacking. It has tons of great characterization, but there is no narrative drive in the script. It's basically Jeffrey Dahmer taking guys back to his place and flashbacking a lot while waiting for the sedatives to kick in. It doesn't really begin, and it certainly doesn't end. As a character study, it's a fine example of how much you can flesh out your characters (obscure pun intended). As a movie, it doesn't cut it. All characters and no plot makes Jeff a dull boy....

Extremely well acted, particularly by the lead. Appropriately creepy and atmospheric -- as well as poignant and introspective. Makes a character out of a "monster". Examines Dahmer's struggle with his homosexuality and that struggle's basis for his sickness. Doesn't focus on the violence, and doesn't explore the cannibalism at all. Flashback structure works well. Liked the comparisions of his banal teenage years to the horrific current years. Would have liked a little bit more of an acknowledgement of how totally out of control this guy became. Cinematography is excellent at times -- but is bedeviled by some sloppy focus work. Again, the lead actor is topnotch. This is a work to be proud of.

Jacobson's film shows little violence. That's a point I'd like to stress because there is a certain audience I think will appreciate this film but who may not give it a chance because they expect graphic nastiness. Against the film's interests, the marketing tries to sell the film to the cheap horror-movie audience and I think this is a pity.

Instead of depicting violence, Jacobson's film discomforts you using dramatic means - principally writing and acting. All of which are used with enough skill to distinguish the film from cheap horror movies. It would be wrong and unfair to dismiss Dahmer because of its packaging. It is a well-written and performed character drama.

It's subject matter is too horrible for the general drama audience to welcome, but at the same time its serious approach makes it too straight for the entertainment market. By that I mean the Hannibal Lecter/Seven audience, who prefer their serial killer tales abstracted (and therefore made safe) by the presence of movie stars.

Dahmer is more akin to Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer in being low budget, filled with unfamiliar faces, and focussed so much on the killer that there is no awareness of the authorities or justice in the story. There is no hero cop or FBI agent in pursuit.

Dahmer is very unlike McNaughton's infamous film because, as already mentioned, it's low on violence, but also because it's a technically better-executed piece of work. The photography and editing, the use of music, the already-mentioned acting and writing, make this a surprisingly good-quality film considering the expectations stacked against it. One technical achievement I find worth noting is how well it recreates period. Sequences set in the 80's have a visual authenticity that puts big budget studio attempts to shame.

Obviously, you know what kind of film you like. If what I've said above sounds interesting to you, then I recommend giving it a look. I repeat that you will not see much in the way of gore or violence. There are plenty of films with more graphic content dressed more commercially. Dahmer won't make you feel good. It isn't a fun movie. But if you are looking for something with more substance you may find it.

I found Dahmer to be an interesting exploration into the mind of a serial killer. Light on exposition(flashbacks aside), it allows the viewer to fill in the gaps as to Dahmer's motivation. I think Jeremy Renner did a terrific job portraying Dahmer as a soft-spoken misfit and outsider who's just looking for love. David Jacobson explores the duality of Dahmer effectively and subtlely, as when Dahmer watches people having sex with a mixture of detachment and disdain,and then seeks out his own sexual liaisons with disastrous results. He is so full of self-loathing and shame that he must first drug, then kill his victims to avoid facing the rejection he is sure will happen. When he finally meets Artel Kayaru as Rodney, he has met his alter-ego...someone carefree and uninhibited and it's apparent Dahmer is experiencing conflicting emotions and perhaps some kind of revelation. But it's too late to save him. Low on gore and violence, which was refreshing. Cinematography was first-rate. Locations were depressingly banal and middle America, settings which seem to breed the most monstrous impulses. A lowkey and worthwhile look into the results of unchecked fear rage and shame, and an invitation to explore the little Dahmer in all of us.

Movies based on real life serial killers tend to get a lot further under my skin than those with fictional maniacs—films like Dahmer, which details the nauseating activities of gay serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who drugged and dismembered his unlucky victims, concealing their body-parts in and around his home(s). The fact that these events actually happened (I can remember the discovery of Dahmer's victims in the news) and are portrayed so convincingly makes Dahmer seriously chilling viewing.

Jeremy Renner, as the titular killer, is simply superb, effectively playing the character as both a teenager and an adult. Director David Jacobson shoots in a non-linear fashion, which adds a further dimension of interest, yet he also avoids sensationalism, the gore quotient kept relatively low and other unsettling details of Dahmer's lifestyle thankfully obscured in a drug and alcohol infused haze. It's a wise move: this study of Jeffrey Dahmer's life is disturbing enough without matters getting too graphic.

Watching Dahmer, even if you happen to be the one or two people in America who don't know that much about him aside from being a serial killer (as I was), I felt like something is missing. I wasn't sure if it was something in Jeffrey Dahmer's past, as the filmmaker did more than enough to emphasize that aspect of his past crimes (though whether or not he was insane from childhood or from around that mannequin incident is questionable at best), but whenever we got closer to the real dark side of Dahmer's nature, of his insecurity and homosexuality, it kind of pulled back into another plot line or something that just felt 'off'. It's not that the subtle care to Dahmer is unappreciated. It's a welcome change from past serial killer movies.

But looking up what Dahmer really did, and what he was really like, this movie didn't fully get into the potential areas of interest of who this guy was, or who people could think he was. Instead we get this tale of morbid insecurity, of a man who frequented a gay bar drugging his rape victims, and had one of his significant kills (a 'chop-up' kind of story) after he was turned down for sex. There's a hint of the really bizarre with the mannequin that appears. And there's some family repression as seen by Jeffrey's father (Bruce Davison). It's not that there is a lack of information, but it's the presentation. After hearing about what happened with that final not-quite victim (the one in the film seen as the gay black guy Dahmer brings back and gets drunk with), one would hope such an outrageous and oddly human scene could make it's way in.

Instead we get a director who is into some effective artistic choices and other times some meandering scenes with less-than-stellar music choices. Oh, there is one very good thing going on though in the film, one that makes it worth seeing, and that's Jeremy Renner. It's hard to see who else could play Dahmer with such a chill in his voice but a human need to connect with others, somehow, even in his warped and awful way of doing it. We're meant to understand him, if not of course sympathize with him, and Renner makes this more than just a possibility. He's electric and intense when he needs to be- those eyes are piercing- but he's also tender and careful with the way he moves in a room or around another guy, or how he has Dahmer contemplating a piece of flesh like the Asian guy he brings home drugs. If nothing else, you can see a great actor working at a high point of his powers. he deserves a Dahmer film that shows how flawed and damaged he was, but that something else the film can't quite get to.

I was hesitant to watch this film at first for obvious reasons, but am glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I doubt very much that the real Jeffrey Dahmer was as likeable as Jeremy Renner made his character to be, but then I wasn't watching just for the blood and guts. Renner's portrayal made me want to watch. On that level the film succeeds.

Of course, the film was at times hard to watch. Artel Kayaru sparkles as Rodney, and I hope we get to see him in future roles.

I liked the way the movie ended without getting too technical about how Dahmer was eventually caught. It wasn't necessary as this story will be told again and again. Instead this film gave us an insight into a very disturbed mind. I'm giving it a strong "9."

This film was surprise and a find. A lot of people might be offended by the way Jeffrey Dahmer is presented, but director David Jacobson manages to keep things under control all the time. Obviously, he has done his research and the most important thing that comes across is Dahmer's latent and repressed homosexuality, which, in a way, explains his appetite for killing. A lot of people seem to forget this movie is based on reality and that reality was Jeffrey Dahmer!

Jeremy Renner's portrayal of the main character is very complex and subtle. He had to be that way in order to get closer to his victims. He is a product of his own upbringing. His parents are so cold toward him that it's a wonder he could even function at all. We can see the gradual falling into the nightmare his life became. Mr. Renner works in a minimal style that suits the film very well.

Bruce Davidson role as the father is so low key and underplayed that one can see this being the reason for the monster, he and his wife helped to create. Another bright idea for director Jacobson is the casting of Artel Kayaru as Rodney, who's obviously attracted to Jeffrey in a fatal attraction kind of way. This young actor is incredible and he should be given more opportunities to show how good he is in other vehicles.

I really felt cheated after seeing this picture. It felt like I sat watching this movie 101 minutes for nothing. I don't understand what they were thinking when they made this. It hardly gets into Jeffrey Dahmer murdering and it has no ending. It felt almost like they were leaving this movie open for a sequel. It was like watching a television episode of the Sopranos. It ends suddenly, and you know there's going to be another episode next week. It also felt like I just watched part 1 to a two part movie. There are many possibilities for what went wrong here; they got lazy, they ran out of money, they didn't know the rest of the story, they wanted to make a Dahmer 2. After seeing this movie they all sound very accurate. I was watching Jeffrey Dahmer walking through the woods. All of a sudden I hear this music playing, then writing comes on the screen and says how Dahmer served 2 years of his sentence and was attacked by a fellow inmate and killed at the age of 34. Wow, he goes from a walk in the woods to his death in jail. How about showing how he got there. How about showing Dahmer's trial. How about showing some more detail. I can't even explain what happened in this movie because it jumped all over the place. I actually found myself saying in disbelief, "That's it, that's the end?" I want to conclude this review by saying there is still a good Dahmer movie yet to be made. To the filmmakers I'd like to say, if you're going to do it, do it right.

"Dahmer" is, by and far, one of the best films I have ever seen.

Like it or not, the famous and infamous are inevitably mythologized. They become ciphers for the human dilemmas and attributes which compel them to commit the acts that grant them their notoriety. Serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer are no exception. For better or for ill, they take their place in the pantheon of popular culture.

How, then, to handle this? It is easy to turn a figure like Dahmer into a devil, a monster who embodies the most violent and irrational of human impulses. This, sadly, is far from productive or enlightening. It says nothing of the human condition besides the depths to which it can sink. Do we really need another film to learn this? The capacity for human evil is made more than apparent by the atrocities one encounters when reading a history book.

The makers of this film attempted something different. Dahmer becomes a sort of avatar of human loneliness, of alienation and the terrible force of sexual frustration and the wrath it inspires. We are shown a lonely man who craves the affection of others but is incapable of attaining it in the normal fashion. The Dahmer of this film employs drugs and violence to subdue those he desires and transform them into living dolls. The viewer gets the sense that, as he cuddles with the comatose body of his victim, he wants nothing more than a body beside his own as he struggles through his nightmarish sleep. Renner, the actor who portrays Dahmer in this film, says more by the contented look on his face as he holds his victims than any philosopher has ever written about the nature of the relation of Self to Other.

The acting is superb in this film. The soundtrack, especially its use of Siren's haunting "Blue Theme," does wonders to capture the type of loneliness which the makers of this film have used Dahmer to symbolize.

Most impressive, perhaps, is the use of image as narrative. There are far too many examples to cite, of course. However, one stands out clearly in my mind. Flashing back to Jeffrey's younger days, he is shown attending a party he holds at his own home. Wandering about alone, he happens upon a couple engaged in amorous play. After watching for a few moments, he leaves the home and commends himself to the night.

Unable to touch the Other, we inevitably delve deeper into the Self. "Dahmer" shows us what happens when such a descent brings us into darkness.

God help us when we finally glimpse the soul and come to the realization that it is not spirit, but an abyss.

This is not a pleasant viewing, although it is a plenty impressive one.

Renner (from everything I remember) looked about as close to Dahmer as anyone could, and acted very much like a young stalker/creep/lonesome/manipulative/ murderer would. I wasn't extremely impressed by anyone else in the film (not that they were bad, just not memorable),, but Renner definitely showed the beginnings of what he would be bringing to the screen in the future.

I would not watch this again,, I only wanted to see Renner's portrayal. An actor studying a more experienced actor playing a psychopath.

The social construction of the "serial killer" in America is an interesting concept. I have found the recent rash of dramatic profiles on real-life serial killers a tad disconcerting, not to mention exploitative. Having been fascinated by the way the 90s media portrayed Jeffrey Dahmer, I was pleasantly surprised that this recent film served as a sort of contrast to the mainstream. It shows Dahmer at three different stages in his life (all jumbled together in the narrative) with three victims--his first kill, his last kill, and one in the middle. It is inherently suspenseful because the audience knows what is going to happen to the victims and the director plays with that--will this one get away? But this movie is better for reasons beyond that. It isn't a psychological portrait, as some have claimed, and does not offer any answers. Yet it also isn't exploitative and full graphic violence and gore. What it is is a contrast to American culture's conception of Jeffrey Dahmer as a repressed homosexual serial killer. It also ignores his supposed cannibalism, and I find that refreshing. The movie is extremely well-made and the performance by Jeremy Renner is mesmerizing. The story is out of order but you can tell what part the story is at is through Dahmer's style and personality. As a teen, he's lonely, socially awkward, and unattractive. As an adult (and pro killer), he's suave and sexy in a scruffy hipster sort of way. It isn't hard to identify with the character's struggles throughout the film, and it isn't hard to be attracted to him either.

David Jacobson wrote (with David Birke) and directed this probing psychological study of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. It is an extraordinarily fine film on every level, not the least of which is the manner in which Jacobson elected to dissect the slowly rotting mind of an avatar (as in the incarnation of evil) model of alienation, profound loneliness, and victim of sexual frustration that eventually explodes into the heinous results of those unrecognized symptoms. It is a masterpiece of understatement, not straying away from the horror of the idea of what is happening, but at the same time not relying on the graphic depictions that so many film on similar subjects stoop to in order to attract audiences. The Dahmer of Jacobson's vision is a lonely youth, a man who craves attention and affection of others but must resort to drugs and violence to reach his goals of partnering with a fellow human being, a coming together that though the means are abominable the end result is an expression of tenderness that few films have been able to reveal.

Much of the success of this superb film is due to the acting of Jeremy Renner as Dahmer. He has created a character whose shy and desperate needs progress until he is able to achieve his obsession of feeling affection from others. The scenes in the bars where he repeatedly dances with attractive men, drugs their drinks, and then helps them to the back rooms where, comatose, they become his lovers for the moment (so very subtly suggested by the fine cinematography technique of strobe lighting momentary glimmers by Chris Manley with the able assistance of editor Biasha Shom). So much of the seduction and actually killing is left to the viewer's imagination that it is only with three encounters - played with virtuosity by Artel Kayàru, Matt Newton, and Dion Basco - that include the verbal interplay that reveal Dahmer's submerged yet profound needs and frustrations. Jacobson's use of flashbacks to Dahmer's experiences that fed his inability to relate to feelings that were denied him by society spare us also of witnessing all of the murders and associated atrocities that Dahmer committed, and in the end that technique helps us understand how a boy to man can alter in the direction of maturation to become one of the most famous serial killers of our time. (FACTS: Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (May 21, 1960 - November 28, 1994) was an American serial killer and sex offender. Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys - many of whom were of African or Asian descent - between 1978 and 1991, with the majority of the murders occurring between 1987 and 1991. His murders were particularly gruesome, involving rape, torture, dismemberment, necrophilia and cannibalism. On November 28, 1994, he was beaten to death by an inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution, where he had been incarcerated.)

Made in 2002 and garnering many Indie awards, it is amazing that this film was not taken more seriously by the public. Perhaps the immaturity of the audience prevented those who usually flock to the blood and slaughter films of the 'Saw' series, 'Freddy Krueger' films, etc from accepting this story as a true one, not a festival of CGI effects. Jeremy Renner is now recognized as one of our leading actors: perhaps this film should be released again so that audiences can appreciate the masterful degree of his acting skills.

Grady Harp

When producing 'True Stories' film makers are entitled to take certain liberties in order to enhance a film. Usually these liberties make the film more substantial and entertaining.

There were NO liberties taken when Dahmer was made.... No No, I stand corrected... they took the liberty of removing all the facinating and macabre eliments that makes Jeffrey Dahmer so intriging.

The cover art of the cover for this film reads "Dahmer: The Cannibal"... yet there is not even a single suggestion in this film that he actually consumes so much as a freckle. Not to mention there was nothing here portraying the actual facts that he had several Heads kept in his freezer... had boiled heads to remove skin... had severed limbs kept in his closet etc etc etc....

More frustrating was the fact that we dont even see Dahmer apprehended and there is nothing of his prison term and subsequent murder. This film lacks in just about every factual department.

The acting is above average... in fact, excellent. But this movie is a waste of time. Browse the web or watch an A&E Biography if you want to know the full details of Dahmer's fascinating reign of terror. This film may very well put you to sleep.

Give give it a 2 out of 10

Jeremy Renner was spectacular in the role of Jeffrey Dahmer. He plays a cold, calculating, and DARK rendition of the serial killer. The part that had him killing his first victim in the kitchen was heartbreaking to see. The anguish and pain that he portrayed was shocking to say the least. The eventual acceptance of the deed was chilling. He REALLY nailed the emotion it would have taken to have done such a thing. The end was a bit of a drop off the map kind of ending. I can see Jeremy Renner playing the lead in a remake of "A Clockwork Orange" if they ever made such a thing. As for Jeremy... I have found a new favorite actor in him. I would STRONGLY recommend this as a movie to watch with someone watching with you and with NO KIDS around!