A Horrible Way to Die


A Horrible Way to Die is a 2010 American horror film directed and edited by Adam Wingard, written by co-producer Simon Barrett, and starring AJ Bowen, Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg, Brandon Carroll, and Lane Hughes. The story follows an escaped serial killer as he chases down his recovering alcoholic ex-girlfriend who is responsible for his incarceration. The film had its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival Vanguard program where it was picked up for distribution by Anchor Bay Entertainment. It also played at Fantastic Fest where it received three major awards: Best Screenplay for Simon Barrett, Best Actor for AJ Bowen and Best Actress for Amy Seimetz.

Plot

In rural Missouri, serial killer Garrick Turrell escapes from police custody and immediately resumes taking the lives of strangers while searching for his ex-girlfriend, Sarah. Meanwhile, having met at group therapy for recovering alcoholics, Sarah and Kevin begin to develop a tentative relationship. As the body count builds, Turrell makes his way to Sarah's new location just as she seems to be getting her life in order.

Cast

Production

Barrett estimated the budget at $75,000.

Release

A Horrible Way to Die debuted on 14 September 2010 at the Toronto International Film Festival and opened in other film festivals on the dates given below.
RegionRelease dateFestival
CanadaToronto International Film Festival
United StatesFantastic Fest
SpainSitges Film Festival
United StatesHawaii International Film Festival
United StatesPhiladelphia Film Festival
United StatesDenver International Film Festival
SwedenStockholm International Film Festival
United KingdomLeeds International Film Festival
CanadaCalgary Underground Film Festival

The film has been shown as a special Valentine's Day screening at the independent Showroom cinema in Sheffield, UK.

Home release

A Horrible Way to Die was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in the United States on September 6, 2011. Bonus materials include audio commentary with director/editor Adam Wingard and writer/producer Simon Barrett and a Behind The Scenes of A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE featurette.

Critical reception

The review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reports a score of 60%, with an average rating of 6.35 out of 10, based on 10 reviews from critics. On Metacritic the film received "Mixed or average reviews", with an overall weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on five critics. Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote that the film is "strongly reminiscent of " but lacks that film's impact. Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times called it "a restrained, ripely atmospheric thriller that relies more on mood than on special effects".