Scream Therapy Review: Horror Comedy Movie Gets High in the Desert
A weekend retreat takes some interesting turns for five friends in Cassie Keet’s horror comedy, Scream Therapy.
What should be a therapeutic time in isolation turns deadly when they cross paths with an incel cult.
It tells the story of five women who decide on a girls weekend in the desert to take part in some scream therapy. Each has their own issues that need screaming through. Avery (Harley Bronwyn) recently broke up with her long-term boyfriend after a discussion about marriage turned sour. Marybeth (Geri Courtney-Austein) lacks life direction. Dylan (Mandie Cheung) has just lost her job. Gillian (Rochelle Anderson) is heavily pregnant and worried about being a single mother. And Nora (Claire Dellamar) has had her house burn down.
So, plenty for the group to scream out of their system, and while in the isolation of the desert, why not share a few shots and some recreational acid? Obviously, it’s not something Gillian can partake in, but that definitely doesn’t stop the rest of the group.
Director Cassie Keet (who also wrote the screenplay) spends a lot of the runtime establishing the friendship dynamic between the five women. It’s a better film for it, too. Their interactions are natural and intentionally silly at times, but they never aggressively nudge the viewer into feeling something. Keet was clearly very fortunate to have a group of actors who connected so well. That drives the emotional heart of Scream Therapy.
Plenty of credit has to go to those actors. They make for a likable bunch. They are cheeky, lewd, and a tad crude, but not in an abrasive way. They’re a group showing genuine love and care for one another, whilst ribbing each other over their life choices. That was refreshing to see.
With the banter leading the way, this horror comedy leans heavily on comedy but still uses horror appropriately. It helps that the comedy doesn’t dominate the darker side of the movie. The throwaway nature of some line deliveries caught me off guard because dialogue manages to sound believable even when it’s dropping pop culture references. But the horror is still there—light in touch but effective in its use.
Scream Therapy isn’t the first Women in the Wild vs. Men movie this year (Hunting the Hag and, to a lesser extent, Reflect), but it’s a more coherent attempt at it. While it shares Hunting the Hag’s penchant for a narrative swerve or two, the results are far more favorable in Scream Therapy.
The role of the men in the story is important and ever-shifting, but interestingly, Scream Therapy isn’t shy about finding earned relative empathy for its male cast. Considering the film bills its cult as incels, it would be very easy to hammer that home in a menacing way, allowing revenge and redemption for the women. Instead, the men are portrayed as naive and controlled by suggestive propaganda. Sure, there’s no shortage of idiots and arseholes to be found here, but there’s a clear distinction between those who should know better and those who weren’t taught better.
As we enter the final act, Keet ramps up the absurdity with a series of silly and sweet twists. The deadly yet farcical situation the women find themselves in escalates. And while it perhaps pushes the twisty turny narrative to the limits of endurance, its good-natured heart alleviates some of the pressure.
Some viewers might find the balance of horror and comedy unsuitable. Moreover, the smart budget use does have the side effect of a relatively muted demonic horror angle. But it’s best to first view Scream Therapy as a comedy peppered with horror elements. It’s always a tricky blend to pull off, and Keet proves there’s no one way to do it.
At under 80 minutes, Scream Therapy doesn’t outstay its welcome. It’s fun, breezy, heartfelt, and more than a little dark when necessary. It’s a surprisingly feel-good horror comedy.
A Scream Therapy screener was provided for review.
Scream Therapy is out on June 18, 2024, on digital platforms.
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