Too Late

source: Too Late

I stumbled upon the 2021 horror comedy "Too Late" here in 2022 by random chance. I had never heard about the movie, but of course I opted to watch it, given it being a horror comedy that I hadn't already seen. And I must also add that I found the synopsis for the movie to be interesting. However, this movie fell somewhat short of providing me with much of any great entertainment. Writer Tom Becker just didn't manage to put together a storyline and script that proved all that enjoyable. There simply wasn't enough of anything happening as the movie trotted on at a rather monotonous pace on the screen. And the character gallery was pretty tame, so not even that did much to lift up the movie. Aside from Bob Devore (played by Ron Lynch), then the character gallery in "Too Late" was pretty mundane, one-dimensional and highly forgettable. The acting performances in the movie were okay, with the most memorable performance on the screen being Ron Lynch. It was a shame that the actors and actresses didn't have a properly layered script or storyline to work with, or even proper characters to work with, because it was holding them back in their performances. Visually then you're not in for anything spectacular. The movie is very low key in terms of special effects and visuals. All in all, "Too Late" came and went without leaving a lasting impression. Yet, I managed to endure it to the end, though I was not really entertained. And believe you me, I am not returning to watch director D. W. Thomas's 2021 movie "Too Late" a second time. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend for fans of the horror comedy genre. My rating of "Too Late" lands on a generous.

"Comedians aren't really people". That's harsh. Well the comedians featured in 2021's Too Late aren't really funny either (I could care less about 7-Eleven, shroom, and/or yoga jokes). The laughs you see from the denizens in the audience are well, crocodile laughs. Anyway Too Late is cinema's "latest" attempt to combine the funny (and unfunny) with hidden horror. Too Late's title, well it refers to a comedy club somewhere in present day Los Angeles. The film at a running time of 80 minutes (with 2-minute ads) is about a Borat-ed club owner who is a monster and eats mostly males (WTF). The club owner's assistant as petite lackey, begrudgingly helps him find his next tasty meal (someone preferably with pills, bourbon, coke, and nicotine in their system). Too Late is a little indie, and little camp, a little low budget, and almost qualifies as a short (see last paragraph). The actors featured (voice-enhanced Ron Lynch, Will Weldon, Jack De Sena) are unknown one-offs and they appear in the flick's alternate reality where humans just disappear without a moment's notice. If you're an aspiring comedian, then Too Late will amuse you and your small circle of only friends' friends (let's hope that's not the case). If you're not a comedy person (that would defiantly be me), then Too Late is like attending a bad night of prosaic vaudeville at Zanies. All in all, the gore in Too Late is low-key special effects (except in the concluding, chest-bursting frames) and the love story element is a kind of twisted Greek chorus. You anxiously wait to see how Too Late ends but by then it's um, "too late". The movie is an artsy, amateur entry at a dank film festival where the patrons call it meh and just head out the back door.

The concept has promise. The horror element is fairly strong. The acting is suitable, and star Alyssa Limperis is charming. Plot development is thin, however, and the narrative at large is hardly better. The makeup, blood and gore, and otherwise effects in the last length of the film are fine. The climax generally is done well, where we also get dialogue that contains minor thematic content. But by that point I was hardly in the state of mind to care - it was (pardon me) too little, too late. Passing moments are sufficiently amusing to provide levity. Call me a cynic, though - I don't think a Venn diagram comparing "levity" and "comedy" is a circle. Which leads me to necessarily ask: Was 'Too late' supposed to be funny? Those elements that are done well are unremarkable, and meager, and far outweighed by so much more that makes no impression at all. This isn't bad. Just dull. So very, very dull. So dull that it may as well be a total clunker for the near total lack of entertainment. Watching 'Too late' is like suffering through an unfunny open mic night - I just feel bad for everyone on the stage. And for the audience. And for the producers. And...

This is a horror matinee of epic proportions. Twisted plot. Twisted characters. A dose of woman comeuppance. Comedians aren't people. They're lunch. Veteran comic Bob Devore keeps a secret. He also keeps his assistant Violet under his thumb with promises of future fame. But Violet's getting tired of playing second fiddle and wants to strike out on her own. She's been feeding Bob's addiction too long. Which makes her a little bit responsible, and now she wants out. Can Violet break loose of Bob? Can she settle into a decent relationship with comic hunk Jimmy Rhodes? Can she doing standup on her own? Success is just a burp away, if only she can shake off Bob. The real comedy of this movie isn't the standup. It's the deadpan manner the characters deliver their lines and sell their depravity for laughs. A lot of fun. An honest look at how cannibalism isn't just about enjoying a good meal. This flick goes well with popcorn and a roomful of raucous company. Enjoy.

"Too Late" is a comedy nightclub not located in Columbus. It is owned by Bob Devore (Ron Lynch) not to be confused with devour. The club is run by his assistant, Violet Fields (Alyssa Limperis). Bob has been around for a long time and lives by eating people, or comedians, supplied to him by his assistant. When Violet falls for Jimmy Rhodes (Will Weldon) she works to keep him off the menu. This is a quirky comedy without any real horror. Most of the jokes we get to hear are the ending punch lines, although we do see some performances. Jack De Sena had perhaps the best character. Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

As another reviewer put it, this movie is cute. I watched it for the sole reason that Mary Lynn Rajskub got top billing.... She had perhaps four minutes in this movie, which is sad because she's such a powerhouse of awesomeness.... Everything she is in is better for her being in it. As it was though, this movie is OK. It was hard to care for the characters enough to really care when they were in any danger. On the bright side, I discovered Jenny Zigrino and will be watching more of her work. Fred Armisen was also in it a bit, and really, what isn't Fred Armisen great in? I think it could have been whittled down a bit and been a third of a horror/comedy anthology movie along the lines of Creepshow or Steven King's Cat's Eye where it could be the center piece book-ended by two better-made films. This isn't a fife or nine star movie like I see other people have rated it, but it's no worse than a solid four stars.

Well, like all Gravitas Venturas monster horror movies, you don't get to see the monster although "it appears" on screen. But that's not the real issue. The issue is some really terrible acting from Will Weldon (and of some other actors). If you can overcome this, you might enjoy the movie (a little).

It's cute but for the most part, it is just okay. Might have worked better as tightened-up half-hour episode of a horror anthology series. The cast is good. The gore is silly.

What comes first, megalomania or show business? This film aptly depicts ambition and celebrity as a humanity-killing lifestyle. Something all audiences are familiar with by now. Stories abound of people like Bob, entertainers whose onscreen personae bear zero resemblance to the off-screen overblown egotism that consumes many of these people. Ellen DeGeneres comes to mind, and this story's very likable comedian Bob, beloved by his fans, is a literal parasite offstage. He's a fun antagonist and probably captures the truer nature of Hollywood success. Fun story. A brave indie with a timeless message.