Love Sick Love (DVD Review)

29 May, 2013 By: Ashley Ratcliff

Monarch
Thriller
$24.95 DVD
Rated ‘R’ for language, some sexual content and brief violence.
Stars Katia Winter, Matthew Settle, Jim
Gaffigan, Charlotte Rae, M. Emmet Walsh, Lindsay Rose Binder, Dean Kapica, Megan Raye Manzi.

The title alone conjures up notions that Love Sick Love will be the typical romantic comedy: Girl falls head over heels for guy, who is stringing girl along. Girl persuades guy to go on a trip. A series of cathartic moments and self-reflections cause guy to change his playboy ways and return his love for girl. They live happily ever after.

Thankfully, Love Sick Love takes those preconceived ideas and throws them out the window. Though the film has the makings of a romantic comedy, it quickly turns into a full-fledged horrific thriller that will keep viewers engrossed until the credits roll.

Norman (Matthew Settle) is a top-level executive who is involved with several women at the same time. Dori (Katia Winter) is one of Norman’s lovers, who erroneously believes the two are in a committed relationship. His continual canceling of their plans doesn’t send up a red flag for the lovelorn woman. She persuades Norman to go on a weekend getaway, and that’s when things start heading south.

We find that this is no romantic retreat but an ambush to make Norman fall in love with Dori by springing her family — overbearing parents (played aptly by M. Emmett Walsh and Charlotte Rae of “The Facts of Life”) and children (Dean Kapica and Lindsay Rose Binder) — on him. Dori also forces Norman to live through a year of holidays in one weekend at her family’s isolated country home in a most disturbing manner.

Norman is unsuccessful in getting help from his colleague (Jim Gaffigan), who warned him about toying with Dori’s heart, and fights to make it out of the creepy home alive.

Viewers will become legitimately concerned for Norman’s safety while also laughing at the absurdity of it all. Winter expertly walks the fine line between bizarre and beautiful.

About the Author: Ashley Ratcliff