Written and directed by Ian Kimble, hungover Jill finds a dead stranger in her bed. Her morning gets worse: a bound man in her closet, unconscious roommate, and her friend at knifepoint. She must solve it all before her 3PM brunch. Starring: Ruby Modine, Mikaela Hoover, Scout Taylor-Compton, Buddy Caine, Suzann Toni Petrongolo, Andrew Vogel, Jeremy Feight and Jessie Allen Hitner.
The style of Dead Giveaway is very clear from the beginning so if it’s not for you early on, that’s probably not going to change. It’s decidedly sitcom-esque, it has that edge of the artificial and melodramatic which is quite surprising and different than the macabre story you might be expecting. Granted, it has some darkness and violence in there but the way that they’re delivered isn’t as deliciously sinister as hoped, so it does unfortunately limit the success and impact of Dead Giveaway.
It doesn’t play out organically, it’s overtly constructed, and that style is intentional and consistent but not satisfying. It’s like it was pulled straight out of the 2000s, but that does have a certain nostalgic charm, it’s easy watching and the progression is really one of the strongest points. The level of hijinks and how they snowball as time goes on is done really well, the risks and catastrophic air are there. It’s simply missing that insidious comedy with a quick wit and sharp tongue to really round out Dead Giveaway. It’s hitting that silly note too hard and not hitting the ghoulish one hard enough.
It’s a shame really as with Ruby Modine in the lead role, she clearly has the skills to get dark and messy, but the claws don’t really get a chance to come out here. She’s relegated to something more flighty, akin to manic pixie girl meets club rat. All credit to Modine, she still gives an entertaining performance, it just doesn’t reach its full potential. Part of that issue is Mikaela Hoover’s character leans even further into cliché, it’s written in such a formulaic manner that it adds another knock to the film’s struggle to be convincing, even though she brings a huge energy and nicely adds to the film’s sense of humour. Whereas Scout Taylor-Compton and Suzann Toni Petrongolo get the opportunity to add some unknown quantities into the mix, their characters are unexpected and have hidden darkness to them which adds a lot to Dead Giveaway.
If you’re looking for some easy-going, evening viewing then Dead Giveaway is going to be a solid choice but if you’re looking for something devilishly dark, you may be left wanting. There’s a great deal of potential here, but it’s all driven towards something overly light and silly. The tone and style feel slightly old-fashioned, connecting more with films of the 2000s than today. There’s a good cast at work, it’s a fun concept and the way that the story plays out is well done but it’s missing stronger comedy and a truly sinister side to embrace the macabre nature of this story.
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