Do not mistake this for the classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers, or its remake – this is something entirely different, apart from having a space in the title. This innovative, dark and disturbing film was written by producer/ writer and director Phil Leirness and is a tale of abusive misogyny, betrayal, degradation, and murder – all presented in the blackest of black comedic packages that will certainly challenge the viewer, and batter their sensibilities before coming to a surprising twist ending, which is easily as twisted as the rest of the film.
Seven men from varying backgrounds and professions decide to play a game that is by any measure somewhere far south of the line of political correctness. Each has to try and seduce and have sex with a random woman, and the other six will mark the attempt on the woman’s appeal, the manner and audacity of the conquest and any proof that it happened. This is a juvenile and distasteful game to say the least and the first half of the film makes for uncomfortable viewing as people are being manipulated and used purely for the gratification of these seven men and their idiotic game, and during the first half of the movie, one wonders what reaction, other than revulsion for the concept, the writer/director was hoping to elicit because the characters have no discernible redeeming qualities. However, when the players start being killed off one by one, the film starts to make more sense, and there is indeed a severe punishment coming for the players.
It’s a film that is certainly worth staying with, however much the audience will undoubtedly fail to identify with or feel sympathy in any way for the players. The ending will leave the viewer satisfied, with plenty of food for thought on society and the human condition, which could lead to this scenario. And really, who could ask for more?
The cast includes several familiar genre names, including Dean Haglund (The X-Files/Lone Gunmen), Peter Shinkoda (Daredevil/Falling Skies), Arye Gross (Minority Report) and Tucker Smallwood (Space: Above and Beyond/ Star Trek: Enterprise/Contact).
Following a series of film festivals and theatrical events in the U.S., the film was released onto a wide variety of on demand platforms as well as onto home video in November of 2018. It is finally now available for streaming in the UK, primarily on the Vimeo app.
