When the Screaming Starts (2021)

If you like daft films with silly humour, but with a human touch underneath the jokes, then When the Screaming Starts will definitely keep you amused.

When the Screaming Starts (2021)
Written by Conor Boru and Ed Hartland
Directed by Conor Boru
Review by: Mark Walker

​When Norman Graysmith is invited into the home of aspiring serial killer, Aidan Mendle, he believes he has the subject for the documentary that will make his career.
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When the Screaming Starts (WTSS) is a mockumentary following the rise of the David Brent of aspiring serial killers, Aiden Mendle (Ed Hartland). Aiden invites success-hungry Norman Graysmith (Jared Rogers), the WISH version of Louis Theroux, to document his journey as he attempts to start a “family” modelled on Charles Manson’s.

WTSS is the comedy version of Man Bites Dog mixed with a hint of Natural Born Killers and touches of Creep and What we do in the Shadows thrown in for good measure; the poster itself is an obvious nod to Shadows. But, just to be clear, WTSS is its own beast; while its influences are clear, it is not a simple knock-off.

WTSS opens with Aiden discussing his desire to become a famous serial killer with Norman, who plans to document Aiden’s rise to notoriety and win ALL the accolades. With the help of his disturbed girlfriend Claire (Kaitlin Raynell) Aiden interviews a strange group of prospective “family” members.

Eventually, Aiden and Claire put together a team that is, to be generous, “eclectic.” They are joined by creepy Twins, Viktoria and Veronica (Vår Haugholt and Ronja Haugholt) who are there for the murder and orgies, dodgy “deli” owner, Jack (Yasen Atour), Amy (Octavia Gilmore) who has her own agenda, and the hapless Masoud (Kavé Niku) who thought he was signing up for Yoga and speaks very little English. This is Aiden’s Family who will help him to join the Hall of Fame of serial-killers.

At least that was the plan.

It soon becomes apparent that Aiden is very much in the Charles Manson camp of serial killing and lets his Family do everything for him. He doesn’t get his hands dirty but still claims the kills as his own, being the ‘mastermind’ and head of the Family. This doesn’t go down well, and the Family soon falls apart leaving Aiden’s dreams and relationship in tatters and Norman’s plan for fame vanishing down the toilet.

Like Man Bites Dog and Natural Born Killers, WTSS touches on the issues around a documentary crew following a serial killer and how they will, inevitably, become involved in the depravity and murder, it just takes a slightly less serious approach than those other films. However, while played for laughs, WTSS doesn’t shy away from the violence! When the killing starts it is still tinged with a comedic edge, and the first foray of Aiden’s Family is pretty brutal.

As the film moves away from the funny set-up and into the consequences of starting a serial killer family, the ramifications for everyone involved take the story in another direction. While largely predictable if you are familiar with Dog and Killers (in relation to the impacts exposure to this much violence has on Norman) the film doesn’t quite end where I expected it to, and the final scenes are tinged with sadness and sympathy for characters that I wasn’t expecting. As to whether anyone deserves this sympathy is up for the audience to decide!

The big issue for me with WTSS is the humour. All films are subjective and, once you throw comedy into the mix, you add another complex layer of subjectivity at the audience. My sense of humour isn’t quite in tune with WTSS, so I didn’t find myself guffawing at the jokes. The film IS funny, don’t get me wrong, I just found some of it a little forced and more humorous than hilarious. This may be down to the mockumentary style and structure which often feels a bit too staged for my liking but may well appeal to others. Don’t take this as a negative, it is a personal observation. The film is funny. How funny will depend on the individuals watching it.

Having said that, the collection of characters in WTSS is great. The team have done an excellent job of bringing together an unhinged group of comedy killers. Well, apart from Masoud, who really should have made a run for it once it became patently clear that he hadn’t signed up for yoga! Although that would have meant missing out on the running gag of Aiden misinterpreting everything Masoud says throughout the film. As the lead Aiden comes across as a bit of a dick at the start of the film, but sympathy grows over the course of the movie and, while he doesn’t really change as a protagonist, we do learn more about him and the motivations behind his desire to build a family. Reading between the lines, this is more than just a simple desire to murder.

I am beginning to think I need to start rating films using the “watch method.” I think stars and percentages are far too subjective and arbitrary. For me it feels more informative to think about the number of times I looked at my watch during a film. This tells me whether I was bored senseless, or completely distracted and engaged! During WTSS I only remember looking at my watch once, so I guess I was pretty well engaged for the 88-minute run-time, a perfect length for this kind of film.

If you like daft films with silly humour, but with a human touch underneath the jokes, then When the Screaming Starts will definitely keep you amused. Not all the humour landed for me, but it is a fun film, I just wish there had been more of Mickey (Rob Tofield), a family wannabe who failed the interview first time around but presents as a perfect emotional reflection of Aiden himself.

A couple of beers and a double bill with Man Bites Dog, and you have a ‘fun’ evening’s entertainment.

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