Hypochondriac (2022) User Reviews

A Watchable Movie.

[HotHamlet · 4/10 · 29 September 2022]

So this movie is a little wacky and wild. By this i mean... well nothing. But jokes aside this movie is fine i guess.

To start off with i want to talk about the mental illness part of this horror. I thought this movies portrayal of mental illness was fine but offered nothing in terms of feeling. By this i mean if someone who had a similar mental illness was to watch this movie then maybe they would feel something (maybe). But if you suffer from nothing like this then this movie doesn't do much to make you feel sorry and/or sympathetic towards the main character. It's a mix and match and depending on your personal situation i feel it is either good or bad and nothing in between. This is why i think the way it's shown in this movie is average overall. When i say all this i do not mean to offend anyone or downplay metal illness in any-way. If you feel as if i have i do apologize.

Moving on to the story and i must say that i thought that this part of the movie was fine. I struggle to say much here as the story was pretty much the mind of the protagonist. But his mother, boyfriend and father were all key pieces of the puzzle. The movie is (just like before) pretty average in this department. The story isn't anything special (even compared to just horror), but wasn't at all bad in my eyes and is easily passable and watchable.

The cast of characters was absolutely fine in this movie and like the story is simply average. God, so far everything is average in this movie. The lead character was simply fine and so was the rest of the cast. Not a single character was poor but neither was anyone great. Everyone was easily passable but didn't deliver anything memorable.

The horror in this movie was pretty poor. Now i can understand (to an extent) that the mental health side of this may have hit with people and caused a type of fear or unsettling nature to be taken away from this movie. I can also point out one or two jumpscares which i didn't really expect, but i felt they were nothing special. Overall the horror in this movie (in my eyes) was simply lacking. It wasn't terrible but the costumed Wolf who looked goofy at times and the (at times) awkward hallucinations made this movies horror fall flat most of the time. For anyone wanting more than an average cast and story look elsewhere as the horror in this is mediocre at best. Horror is definitely not this movies strong point.

Story - 5/10

Cast - 5.5/10

Horror - 2.5/10

Portrayal of Leads Health - 4.5/10

Overall a pretty watchable movie with nothing special about it, 4/10.

So much potential

[anippokola · 4/10 · 22 August 2022]

First of all the main character was annoying. And the movie also forces such a "woke" idea. This movie had so much potential to be good. I could've sat there and watched it instead of being on here while the rest of the movie is playing in the corner. It's cringy and insufferable but at least the plot was interesting.

Incredibly slow paced and pointless...

[paul_haakonsen · 2/10 · 4 August 2022]

I hadn't heard about the 2022 movie "Hypochondriac" as I sat down to watch it. But I will say that the synopsis for the movie sounded interesting enough, and also the movie's cover/poster seemed interesting. And with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to give "Hypochondriac" a chance.

But wow. Just wow.

This movie was an incredible swing and a miss of epic proportions.

The storyline in the movie, as written by writer and director Addison Heimann, fell entirely short of providing me with any sense of entertainment, so it was a real struggle to suffer through this slow paced and pointless narrative. And to make it even worse, nothing thrilling or interesting happened as the movie trotted on in a monotonous pace.

Granted, I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "Hypochondriac", and that is usually something I enjoy when I watch a movie. However, the actors and actresses in this movie stood a snowballs chance in Hell of delivering anything worthwhile or wholesome on the screen, because the script was just hopelessly devoid of any such thing.

Now, "Hypochondriac" is listed as a horror, thriller and drama, well forget about this being a horror movie, unless counting boredom beyond belief as horror. As for the thriller aspect of the storyline, well it could be classified as a thriller if you stretch the term loosely enough.

This is not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on. Some of us suffered through this ordeal so you don't have to.

My rating of this disappointing movie lands on a two out of ten stars.

Usual, generic indie thriller

[HKMovieReviews · 2/10 · 16 March 2022]

I caught a screening of this during SWSW. Without giving away any spoilers, let's just say that this is absolutely nothing we haven't already seen before. The storyline seems to have borrowed pieces of concepts from previous films (who did it better). To me, Hypochondriac seemed poorly executed. The concept was overdone. The writing was weak. It's small budget was glaringly evident. And most of all, some characters felt miscast, most notably the film's main character Will, played by Zach Villa. Villa just did not have the intensity required to pull off his character, his acting came off as amateur and ultimately non-believable (even sometimes unintentionally funny). The film had some moments, but unfortunately, that's about it. It could have had more potential, but the uninspired casting and general execution makes this a "skip it". - HK.

Strange...but good

[pensacolacomputer · 7/10 · 5 August 2022]

I watched this with a friend of mine who used to have some mental issues before he got on medicine, and he said this movie really hit home for him.

This movie is very sad at times. You feel so bad for what the main character is going through. This is definitely more drama than horror....it has very very little horror IMO, but is well done and very well acted, especially by the main character.

7/10 - Recommended if in the mood for something different.

Formula movie

[apollo60 · 3/10 · 4 August 2022]

Predictable, boring and cliché ridden. Under developed characters with too many unanswered questions. Of course, Will's father is a negative figure and.

a Great drama with horrific moments

[yuvalilani · 8/10 · 25 September 2022]

A very powerful movie about trauma and mental illness, with solid direction and cinematography, only held up by the editing which at times goes over the top and frantic for a bit too long in the attempts to convey the main character's psychosis and anxiety attacks.

Zach Villa gives a Great main performance both in comedic and devastating moments, creating a wonderfully varied and whole portrait of a man haunted by his past and trying desperately to take control of his fragile mental state.

Devon Graye does a wonderful job portraying the sad sometimes sisyphic acts of a loved one who wants only to know our protagonist for his real damaged self.

A great watch for drama-horror lovers (and yes the main character is gay if that something you count as a downside, the internet was a mistake)

psychological horror/thriller

[anniebmunch · 7/10 · 6 August 2022]

I'm not usually a horror/thriller fan, but i do better with psychological stuff for sure and this was a good watch for me! Definitely some horror/gore/"body stuff" that made me squirm without completely losing me. What i found most compelling were the parental relationships and how those played out in will (main character)'s life - and for bonus points, there were a few AH HAH moments that got me in just the right spot. Recommend!!

CAST AND CREW DID FALSE REVIEWS, AGAIN

[markwiseman5-988-103207 · 1/10 · 7 August 2022]

I hate coming online to get good information about a new movie, only to find that it's been bombed with 10/10!!! By its own cast and crew. Usually, that means the movie is a bomb as well. This movie about a gay potter with a history of mental illness is no exception.

Trying to use every cultural appropriation out there that you can, in an attempt to generate more hype for your god-awful movie is just... disgusting, really. It cheapens the real struggles that minority groups have to face in the world. Trying to link them to regurgitated trash like this does nothing to "help" any of their causes.

This movie has been made before, so it's nothing new. It's probably not a "1" for a rating, maybe a 3, but I give it a one for the cheap attempt at cultural appropriation in order to hype their B-rated film.

Moving, vulnerable, scary

[kellywinters-54477 · 8/10 · 10 June 2022]

Saw this at Overlook and really, really loved it. Perhaps not your "usual" horror, I'd think of it more as a character study with horror elements being used to tell a story about mental health. Absolutely heartfelt performances and stunning visuals. Raw, connected -- but also, surprisingly, funny. Def see it.

Crazy you say?

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 24 March 2023]

No pun intended - the movie is quite out there. You really get into the mind of our main character. Of course his past does inform his present ... but what does that mean exactly? And how does he or has he coped with that? If he has at all of course .. you are able to sabotage yourself. Even if you don't mean to ... or is there something more, something quite sinister? Well you have to watch to find out.

Of course this having a same sex love theme, may not be what you are looking for. And if you have issues with that, well that would mean you will be missing out on a more than decent movie. The ending is a bit weird ... but then again, the whole movie to say the least.

I created an account to write this.

[jfowler-37525 · 10/10 · 10 August 2022]

This movie isn't a 10. More like a 6.5 in my opinion. But after watching this movie I was sad to see this had such a low score so I wanted to raise it up. This movie was very powerful and heartbreaking at times but it definitely moved me. It's not horror, and I guess that's why some people are not happy with it. It's more of a psychological drama/thriller with a nod to Donnie Darko. It's definitely not a forgettable movie.

Terrific debut

[jamesemanuelshapiro · 10/10 · 5 August 2022]

Fantastic debut from Addison. Deeply personal and a sensitive subject matter handled with such honestly. And it's a horror movie too! Amazing balance between empathy and frights.

Repulsion, now with more attraction

[apdraper · 8/10 · 11 August 2022]

I can understand those who question the categorization of the movie as horror. The strongest dimension of it is the "indie drama" side, not the creepy-crawly side. But it's a movie about a breakdown which is frequently horrific and continually teeters on the brink of something even more horrific. It definitely feels like a horror film at times. Its weakness is a sluggish pace, which is related to its strength, which is its willingess to give its hero an irregular and erratic path into madness, which feels authentic. Like Repulsion, but where there's hope at the end of the tunnel. Definitely a movie in dialogue with horror films and their frequent demonization of mental illness and disability. If that was all the movie had going for it, it would be interesting but not compelling, but as it has a strong central performance from Zach Villa, it's pretty entertaining. Villa is super charismatic.

Exciting, poignant, emotional film

[cedebaise · 10/10 · 5 August 2022]

As someone who has struggled with mental health, specifically Bipolar disorder, I watched this film with nervous anticipation. I was interested in the storyline but apprehensive of how a breakdown like the one in this film would be portrayed.

I ended up being absolutely blown away at the care with which the script was handled, and the characters were portrayed. The writing was grounded and emotive. The acting was gorgeous, special note to the chemistry between Will and his partner and as well as Will and his mother.

While it isn't light viewing, I would highly HIGHLY recommend to viewers looking for a meaningful film handling sensitive topics in a beautiful way.

Fascinating character study!

[PattonReviews · 10/10 · 10 June 2022]

I really thought the lead character did an amazing job in this. It takes us on a journey of everything he is going through. The monster in this is so interesting too. I don't want to spoil anything but there are some great scares and some really poignant moments with it!

An Intense and Fascinating Psychological Thriller

[Spike-40614 · 10/10 · 10 June 2022]

Hypochondriac is both a brilliant character study and a moving portrayal of the real life horrors of childhood trauma and mental health disorders.

Zach Villa is outstanding as Will, giving a raw, charismatic and gripping performance as he portrays the character's battle with his past trauma and his weakening grasp on reality and his relationship with boyfriend Luke, played by Devon Graye.

The film masterfully plays in the horror genre to tackle real issues. As the film states it is based "on a real breakdown" of the the writer and director Addison Heimann.

It is intense and thought provoking, beautifully shot and edited, with some killer visual effects and creature design, and great performances by the rest of the cast.

It's also quite hilarious, with perfectly paced moments of dark humor. The "google" scene being particularly notable.

See it!

More films like this please

[leanycolemarshall · 8/10 · 5 August 2022]

It really kept my attention which says a lot about it because my go to entertainment is horror. It starts off with a bang and makes you instantly invested. A few jump scares but overall very well written characters. A very important topic to cover and we normally don't see mental health struggles shown in this way.

One of the strongest and most talented casts I have seen in any movie all year

[manuelasaez · 8/10 · 1 October 2022]

I have to admit, this movie took me by complete surprise. I wasn't expecting to become so invested in these characters, their struggles, and I found myself being drawn in to the movie like few films have accomplished to do for me in all of 2022. It wasn't the story, or the script, or even the "horror" aspects of the film, but the cast itself that really elevated this film for me.

Everyone was so talented, charismatic, and the chemistry between them palpable even through the television screen. Even the characters with very few lines or screen time gave their 110% to this film, and I could not for the life of me find a single weak link. The casting for this film saved it from being a simple, mediocre story, and the flaws this movie did have pale in comparison to the strength of the ensemble.

Although this isn't a traditional horror film by any means, personal trauma is a horrifying subject for many of us, and seeing it presented this way left me uncomfortable, disturbed, and shaken by the end of the movie. But I enjoyed it so much that not even that could make me speak ill of it.

An overall pleasant experience that is made that much better by an amazingly talented and capable cast. Watch it for the acting alone. You won't be disappointed.

A haunting depiction of mental illness

[queenb7074 · 10/10 · 5 August 2022]

I found Hypochondriac to be an unsettling story, full of truth and accurate portrayals of what it feels like to be in the throes of mental illness. Heimann really captured what it looks like to outsiders, as well as how it must feel to the person struggling. Mental illness IS unsettling. It is uncomfortable and terrifying, and this film managed to keep the viewer in that world, before finally offering a not-expected ending. The way the ending REALLY showed what living with a mental illness can be like was poetic, and beautiful. Well done, indeed.

A deeply personal nightmare

[aaronmon2-913-382382 · 10/10 · 31 July 2022]

Some of the most compelling and precise low budget filmmaking I have ever seen. Villa's understated performance feels hauntingly realistic and his relationship with his boyfriend and father are very well articulated. Parts of this film are absolutely entrancing - I'm a sucker for long crossfades and overlayed footage. Highly recommend!

Vulnerable and visceral queer horror!?!

[simonesel-1 · 10/10 · 5 August 2022]

I caught Hypochondriac at Outfest and was really struck by the vulnerability of it. Even without knowing that it was based on the filmmaker's life, it would have felt intimate thanks to the careful direction and insane performances. It was a great example of style serving substance. I dug it. Here's to more queer horror!

I feel it's a must see top 10 for 2022

[shanebradyactor · 10/10 · 19 December 2022]

I loved the hell out of Hypochondriac. I saw it at the Soho Horror festival in London, England -- and it brought the house down. The less you know the better going into it, but rest assured there are SEVERAL scenes that will leave your jaw on the floor, in the best way possible. This film pulls no punches, and certainly boxes above it's weight class as an indie film. The definition of bravery put into a film. The fact that a group of 100+ cinephiles at the festival all felt that same way celebrates the fact that the movie theatre going experience, as a shared environment for people to FEEL, is alive and well :)

Thoroughly enjoyable and moving

[taniafoxfilm · 9/10 · 9 August 2022]

Solid film with good writing and great cast.

The story is dark and vulnerable and has some interesting twists. The main character is intriguing and a lot of the creative decisions are unique and interesting.

A thrilling character study with a strong performance by Zach Villa

[dashiellreinhardt · 8/10 · 8 August 2022]

Zach Villa gives a wonderfully charming, intense and moving performance here as he plays a character slowly losing his grip on reality.

The film is beautifully shot, has some solid jumps and is well paced with some wonderful moments of dark humor. It plays well off the tropes of the genre and has real heart behind it's depiction of struggling with both the fear of and the actual realities of mental illness.

Absolutely worth a watch!