Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes an unusual love story from writer/director, James L. Edwards. Tales of undead hearts have cloaked the horror genre since inception. From Dracula’s immortal vengeance to reclaim his long-lost love to Candyman’s eternal lust for his beloved Helen. With, “Her Name Was Christa,” Edwards puts his own spin on the timeless tales of love gone dark.
Stephen is sleepwalking through life. He has a mundane job, zero social life, and spends his nights depressingly searching for love on dating sites, where he is getting zero results. Nick, a new co-worker, befriends Stephen and starts to inspire him to take control of his circumstances by any means necessary, even if that means paying for a little affection to get his confidence up. A twist of fate leads to Stephen meeting a street-smart prostitute named Christa. The odd new couple make a financial agreement that is geared toward getting Stephen out of his self-induced shell. Their dark past coupled with their desires to be consoled and loved progresses into a uniquely beautiful bond. When Christa’s dark secret leads to her death, Stephen slips into inconsolable madness. How far would one man go to hold on to his heart’s desire?
One word comes to mind after watching this film. Brave. “Her Name Was Christa” is a brave film in every aspect. While most tales of love fall into either the category of married or divorced characters, Edwards taps into the relatively uncharted area of middle-aged people who are neither. Those who find themselves lurking through life with only their shadows as company. Not only is the film brilliantly written and directed, but Edwards stars as the lovable loser Stephen, and literally dives head first into the role. Shainne Daye shines as his love interest, portraying both a hard-core hooker and vulnerable human being with ease. While the two-hour run time looks ambitious at first, Edwards paces the slow burn film to perfection, building to a horrific conclusion with well timed scene selection. Until the third act, the film plays more of a modern drama than a horror production. Once Christa leaves the physical world, the metaphysical horror begins. Special effects director Alan Tusker presents necrophilia scenes that make “The Human Centipede” look like a Disney production. While the graphic nature of Stephen’s mental and physical breakdown may have viewers losing their lunches, Edwards cuts the scenes with A-List style and with intricate thought. As A24 studios are starting to bring more big budget high brow horror to the screens, it is refreshing to see this talented indie team pull of a similar smart film on a shoestring budget.
Scream Score: 8.7/10
