They Look Like People (2015) User Reviews

Eerie and well made drama/indie horror

[TuesdayThe17th · 7/10 · 13 May 2016]

"They look like people" is one of those movies that makes you think rather than cringe. Its like a psychological drama/horror. The scariness of this movie can vary from individual to individual due to how they each interpret and think into it. There is great use of atmospheric sounds in this movie, which i personally love. I love the creeping and building sense of dread this movie offers. It is a little daring of the filmmakers to go for such a craved concept, yet on such a tight and low budget. This movie has no gasping or jaw dropping scenes, and there isn't much blood at all, but it still has great body and still feels very full. I couldn't look away the whole time. This movie has the ability to pull you in and not let up until your feeling less boggled by it. The character development was great. We really get to know them. I kept wanting to see how very creepy situations panned out between main characters. You can almost predict the outcome of this movie, but then you second guess yourself, and this happens multiple times throughout the movie. Overall I thought this was a pretty good movie with good acting and a very eerie vibe. I would rate it 6.5 out of 10 stars.

Pretty good little film that's hard to categorize

[beckyb219 · 6/10 · 1 October 2019]

I'm not sure how to feel about this movie, mainly because I don't think it belongs in the horror genre. Two long-lost brofriends have a brounion and bro down for a while before Handsome Bro realizes that Beardo Bro is having some kind of mental breakdown. Or is he? Maybe. Or IS he? Yes. Probably. OR IS HE? You get the idea. And it just kind of goes on like that for a while until it eventually ends. I guess it's really a story about friendship? I don't know. But I didn't hate it. And I have to give Handsome Bro props -- not just because he's handsome. That bro is a good dude, man.

An entertaining film that keep me interested

[manuelasaez · 7/10 · 12 March 2016]

There are many low budget films that simply come off as vanity projects for those involved. Then there are low budget movies that are obvious labors of love, and that make every effort to work with their small budget to achieve something fresh, new and unique. This is definitely one of those films. The premise is simple, if a bit clichéd; A man with low self-esteem helps a friend (who is very sure of himself) during a time of need. The thing is, this friend believes that people are being replaced by monsters, and that a secret war is raging that no one but him is aware of.

The film does a great job in balancing the more outlandish elements of the premise with some very real and entertaining interaction between the two male leads. These men are great at what they do, and their chemistry is wholly evident in the ease in which scenes transition from lighthearted play to tension-filled dread. These two obviously got along during the production of this film, and it clearly shows in the final product (The one aspect in which many of these types of movies fail is not having a chemistry between their actors).

The special effects are sparse but work within the context of the film, and the direction might be simple, but again, I believe the film benefits from it. There are no fancy techniques, no crazy camera work to be found; this is a director working with a very select few talented people, and focusing on their interactions and reactions to the events in the film.

That being said, I am most impressed by the comedic elements, as they not only added a sense of levity to an otherwise somber film, but the actors were so convincing, you could not help by smile at their antics (Sock Wars brought a healthy dose of nostalgia). In the end, the film does what many others do not; it removes ambiguity, and allows the viewer to better understand the message behind the movie without the dreaded, "What was the point of all that?" that plagues many film endings.

Overall, this film is not going to win anyone over, as it does not do anything particularly well enough to garner the "art-house psychological horror" sub-genre any more fans, but to those of us that enjoy these types of movies, it is a welcomed addition. A solid effort all around, and the casting agent should be commended for choosing such a talented and charismatic ensemble.

Low budget psycho thriller

[ComedyFan2010 · 7/10 · 9 May 2018]

This is a pretty well done low budget movie. One good thing with low budget is that they don't rely on scary videos but use psychological fear to make the viewer enjoy it.

This has been done pretty well in this movie. The acting is good and we can see Wyatt's struggle with losing his mind. I never doubted that it was a mental health issue, but it actually made the movie more worth watching. One keeps on looking what to expect from him next. Whether he will crush under it and kill somebody.

It is a bit slow. So I admit being bored at some point. But it is all worth it as it keeps on building up towards the last 20 minutes which were a thrill to watch showing us the topic of friendship and trust in this case. And it is amazing how Christian trusted him, because this is where I absolutely wasn't sure how it will end.

I'm not sure what to think

[elizrug · 5/10 · 19 April 2016]

In terms of flimmaking, I think this is good. It doesn't rely on special effects or crazy action scenes to keep a viewer watching. There's a sense of suspense in every scene portrayed just through the acting. I think the two main characters worked well together, and reflected off each other is a healthy/unhealthy way.

A good movie doesn't need a big budget or fancy locations. It just needs good acting and a well-written story. I'm not so sure about the story here.

I have to admit I spent a lot of the time watching thinking, "WTF is going on?" That can be good but it was a bit too confusing in this film.

This is NOT a horror film

[PsychoBeard666 · 6/10 · 1 July 2020]

It's a psychological drama that dips its toe into psychosis that is just about interesting enough to make you stick with it.

Meh

[purrlgurrl · 3/10 · 15 May 2016]

No, it's not a horror movie. It's a psychological drama, and one that's not very well done. It feels like a film from a novice who's trying too hard to be clever while at the same time emotionally deep and not delivering the goods on either because he doesn't yet have the life or professional experience to do so successfully. I found it boring rather than suspenseful and my mind kept wandering. The lint on my living room carpet was more engaging at times. It seems to be an early film from someone who may or may not develop into an interesting filmmaker. It's just too soon to tell from this. But there are a few moments in the film to make one hopeful. On the other hand, if this is a filmmaker who's been around the block a few times, a career re- assessment seems overdue.

Nice Surprise

[vbites · 8/10 · 18 March 2018]

I was expecting a horror film but instead stumbled upon a nice psychological thriller. Kudos to the filmmakers and the cast. Well done across the board. Very realistic acting, got to care about all the characters. Had me wondering what I would do in all their situations. Mental illness is difficult to deal with, I know. This handled it with empathy. Again, we'll done!

Great concept, good execution (SPOILER REVIEW)

[rhcplolla2012 · 6/10 · 6 December 2021]

While this film has an intriguing premise, the pacing and overall writing is slightly bland. Writers tend to believe that realism, has to be boring. I'm not 100% certain what the overall take of this movie was supposed to be but did enjoy the element of trust, with someone you love, through thick and thin. Thought it was a heartwarming display that love & trust can get you through anything. Found it refreshing that a film like this, didn't end in horror (for once). Definitely worth a watch but this is no Spielberg, IMAX experience. It is a very slow indie film, that I recommend you go in with low expectations, for the best experience. Not the greatest film of the year but Perry Blackshear has talent and a promising career (if he's willing to acknowledge his flaws asa filmmaker). 5.8/10.

Boring. And a slog to get through

[justinjoyce-86594 · 1/10 · 1 August 2022]

This movie was so bad I had to start a profile here to let people know. I don't know what these other people saw who gave it 4 stars and up because what I just watch was two dudes that in an apartment go crazy nothing more nothing less I can't express enough how dumb this movie was. A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME... yes the time spent writing this was more pleasing to me than this sorry excuse for a film. To the writer of this "movie" stick to writing short stories on Reddit save your daddies money and just stop.

The reality of going down in a psychotic attack ...

[lrtb-34348 · 8/10 · 23 July 2016]

Has someone go psychotic in the past ? I did.

There was a time, in my life, when I went completely psychotic. It is what the drugs and antidepressants mix did to me. Luckily, it was years ago and I'm sane now. But, God, it was such a nightmarish time. You just can't difference between what is real and what is not. Well, let me tell you, what this movie shows is the simply truth. Nobody that didn't go psycho in the past, or is passing through something like this right now, can understand, but, this movie, this is not work of fiction, this is the reality of going down in a psychotic attack. And yes, it's a very confusing time, and yes, the fantasy becomes reality, and yes, you hear and see things that are not there. Man, I just wish nobody that is reading had or have passed through this. I did, and after some years of therapy and medicines, I can say that I'm cure now.

This movie is a very good description of what is to become psychotic.

8/10

Psychological Thriller

[thelastblogontheleft · 7/10 · 27 November 2016]

This movie is less of your traditional horror movie and more of a deep, psychological thriller. Part of what can be so appealing to me about smaller, lower budget indie films like this is that they really rely more on subtleties to get their message across (and to achieve an awesome atmosphere) rather than special effects or dramatic camera shots. This was Perry Blackshear's feature film directorial debut, and he also wrote, shot, edited, and produced it, so… bravo, dude, and I can't wait to see what else you come up with.

The movie follows recently reunited childhood friends Wyatt (played by MacLeod Andrews) and Christian (played by Evan Dumouchel), and you get a good sense of their personalities — and their relationship — right away. Wyatt is the more withdrawn of the two, having recently broken up with his fiancé, and Christian, while suffering from some obvious self-esteem and depression issues (and also recently coming out of a relationship), overcompensates with his outspoken air of confidence and machismo, spending lots of his time at the gym. The two, despite having not seen each other in what we assume is a long while, fall right back into their old habits, for better and for worse. Their connection is endearing and, while awkward at times, you really believe the earnestness of their acting.

We soon come to realize that Wyatt is being warned about, and preparing for, an impending battle with some kind of demons… and while this is literally happening, it's obvious that these are his own demons he's battling. Hiding in plain sight, hard to see at first but once they make themselves known, they're impossible to ignore. His spiral into the depths of this battle is palpable, and the paranoia and claustrophobia that it creates is disturbing to say the least. You really feel like you're there with him as everything closes in around him. It's hinted that he suffers from schizophrenia, but it's never clearly stated, so the ambiguity adds to the overall confusion and fear.

As him and Christian go into the battle together, the thing I loved the most was Christian's willingness to just put aside any judgment and doubt and go with his friend into the unknown. You aren't sure whether this is because Christian is succumbing to his own depression or if he's just reminiscing about a past life, but his boldness is admirable (even while you're a little scared for him). The unease I felt while watching him in the climax of the movie was intense — you're cringing and hoping and… then it's over. Awesome.

This Look Like Movie?

[Katy_Scary · 1/10 · 25 March 2016]

This movie cures Insomnia hands down. Most of the movie was filmed in some cheap ass apartment and some random basement. The acting wasn't bad but this movie was missing a cohesive plot. It didn't flow. I think it probably cost about $800 bucks to make this flick. So basically this guy thinks that people around him are aliens. In the end we realize that Wyatt is mentally ill and hears alien voices in his head directing him to prepare for the battle. The only Aliens in this film are the people who made this sh*t. He and his friend hug it out and then it goes straight to the credits. Who ever directed this film should go get a job serving french fries. The overly positive reviews are from people who are connected to this film on a personal level. Bogus Reviews for a Boring Movie.

Just needed to identify its genre more clearly

[jtindahouse · 6/10 · 4 December 2016]

I liked the idea behind 'They Look Like People'. It reminded me quite a bit of 'The Babadook', a film which I absolutely loved. Unfortunately it felt like a poor man's 'Babadook'. It didn't quite work on the same level that that one did. The mystery element still works, because the film world isn't like the real world. Any film maker can just decide at the drop of the a whether he wants to stick to the laws of the world we live in, or just completely abandon them and do his own thing. So we are never quite sure exactly how much of the mystery in films like this is going to turn out to be true. That's why it works. What doesn't work as well is the tempo and mood of this film. 'The Babadook' managed to be a horror, while also telling its extremely smart story. I'm not sure exactly what genre 'They Look Like People' would fall into though. Probably if I had to pick one I'd say drama. Any old film can fall into the drama category though, and that's where I think this film fails. It doesn't clearly identify itself well enough.

It's a very short film at only 80 minutes, and they pass by quick enough. While there's never really a lot happening, it also never drags. We, the audience, are always on the look out for clues and hints as to what the characters are actually dealing with here, and that keeps things ticking. The final scene is far and away the best the movie has to offer, and is actually extremely well directed. I would've liked another 10-15 minutes on the end to tie up a few loose ends, but it wasn't to be. I think this film could have been more than what it is, but even still it's a pretty watchable experience.

They Look Like People: Make no mistake this is NOT a horror

[Platypuschow · 3/10 · 23 December 2017]

Despite being advertised as such They Look Like People is NOT a horror, let's be very clear on that.

They look Like People though creepy a couple of times is a psychological thriller and not a very good one at that.

It tells the story of two reunited friends, one of whom secretly believes that body snatcher like creatures are taking over the planet and is being consumed by his obsession. He finds himself questioning whether he should try and save his one and only friend or flee.

This is yet another mental illness portrait movie, is dark gritty but doesn't represent sufferers particuly well.

Though I see what they were going for I believe this is a thorough swing and a miss and probably would have been better served as a horror after all.

One for fans of this niche only.

The Good:

Couple of creepy moments

The Bad:

Rather dull

Ambiguous

Questions left unanswered

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Demons have a weakness, it's sulfuric acid! Who knew?!

Not Horror

[cjstanford-65097 · 6/10 · 14 August 2022]

This is a very good psycho-drama. Production-wise its low budget is too obvious. The film though pulls the viewer into the lead character subjective view so intensely that we can't discern reality from delusion. And in my view it ends similarly. But the end is positive, which is surprising given the story developments. I enjoyed it more than many high budget psycho-thrillers.

Honestly one of the lamest movies ever

[sydksu · 1/10 · 20 February 2018]

I am very forgiving of bad movies, even if they are far fetched or whatever, they can still manage to be entertaining. But this one was confusing, slow, weird, boring, and disappointing.

Low Budget, High Engagement.

[jtncsmistad · 8/10 · 14 June 2016]

Is the terribly troubled Wyatt (MacLeod Andrews) a complete nut job or are there really diabolically disguised monsters all about us intending to take over our planet? This is the unusually intriguing and engagingly executed premise driving the indy horror drama "They Look Like People".

Virtual feature flick newcomers Andrews, Evan Dumouchel and Margaret Ying Drake are uniformly superb as the main characters. They're manner of speaking and interaction is entirely innate and natural, when the scenes don't skew toward the SUPERnatural, that is.

This is a consistently compelling story being told here. One that serves to substantiate that we are all psychologically fragile to some degree and in our own way. It is how well we deal with these frailties, or moreover how those who care about us help us contend with our instability, that so often times determines the capacity to not just cope with, but ideally overcome, our individual challenges.

First time full-length film director Perry Blackshear writes and directs along with having a hand in just about everything else there could POSSIBLY be to do in making a movie. I suggest you put him on your radar. If "They Look Like People" is any sort of indication, this is a crazy creative talent we'll be seeing and hearing a lot more from in the years to come.

The rise of 'Buddy Horror'

[screenotes · 6/10 · 15 June 2019]

There is a sub-genre of Horror which IMDB calls "Alien Infiltration" and a cursory keyword search of 'the database' suggests it is a potentially rich yet largely untapped theme. Notable entrants include Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and its various remakes as well as the much loved yet now quite dated John Carpenter film They Live (1988). Carpenter's film was based on Ray Nelson's very short story Eight O'Clock in the Morning with Nelson himself employed to write the screenplay.

Perry Blackshear's Directorial debut feature They Look Like People (2015) is still perhaps the latest entrant into the sub-genre, focusing more on the psychology of its hero-come-antihero as he struggles to distinguish reality from fantasy (read 'nightmare'). Yet Blackshear's film is several iterations away from any of the aforementioned efforts.

In fact stylistically, They Look Like People is akin to the work of Blackshear's comtempories Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. By this I mean the film is part of a movement which places relationships between characters at the forefront of Genre storytelling. The duo's films Resolution (2012) and The Endless (2017) are both as concerned with the endurance of male friendships amid horrific circumstances as they are with staples of the Genre. We may now come to define this 'Buddy Horror' as its own sub-genre.

Far from derivative, Blackshear's debut is suspenseful and atmospheric, containing minimal gore yet just enough half-seen body horror to keep one white-knuckled. Its dramatic question is less about whether or not it's main character is mentally ill than about whether or not the relationship between its two 'buddies' will endure in spite of this challenge.

They Look Like People is not perfect by any stretch. It lives and dies on its portrayal of the relationship between its two leads. Relative newcomers MacLeod Andrews and Evan Dumouchel do a fine job in both the portrayal of the central relationship and in service of suspense. Yet generations of Horrorphiles raised on jump scares and gore may not find what they're looking for here. The suspenseful moments are truly suspenseful but there is as much time spent on portraying the key relationships as on anything else.

Yet considering its budget and the relative inexperience of all concerned They Look Like People more than exceeds expectations. This film is evidence of a unique vision and cinematic craftsmanship. It is also evidence that 'Buddy Horror is here to stay'.

Lame and Boring Low-Budget Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 2/10 · 20 December 2016]

In New York, the shy Christian (Evan Dumouchel) likes his chief Mara (Margaret Ying Drake) but is afraid to invite her to date with him. When he stumbles upon his old friend Wyatt (MacLeod Andrews) that is passing by New York, Christian invites him to stay in his apartment. Christian does not know that Wyatt is a psychotic man that believes that people are turning into evil creatures and the war between humans and these creatures is close. Further, he suspects that Christian is one of these creatures.

"They Look Like People" is an overrated lame and boring low-budget movie. The quantity of good reviews in IMDb is suspicious and most of the reviews might be fake. Time is irreversible and impossible to retrieve; therefore think twice before spending watching to this garbage. My vote is two.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

good film

[remembervhs · 9/10 · 23 October 2015]

This is an excellent film.

I won't get into specifics, but the plot revolves around the platonic relationship between two male friends for a couple days in New York.

One of them is utterly unsure of himself, so he overcompensates. The other has a healthy amount of confidence and seems totally at ease with himself. One of the two also suffers from a mental illness, and it's probably not the one you would assume based on my brief description of their personalities. Over the course of the film their relationship is examined and tested.

The film establishes an atmosphere of dread very effectively, though this is punctuated by sporadic humor. The plot did not go in the direction I expected and I was happily surprised by the conclusion and the lack of ambiguity (I'm fine with ambiguity, but ambiguous horror movies about mental illness are a dime a dozen).

Keeps you guessing...and you'll guess wrong.

[ivegotgeemail · 7/10 · 19 October 2021]

This movie is DEFINITELY worth watching one or more times. It's a good seasonal Halloween movie. A guy meets up with an old friend. He hears voices telling him there is a war coming and that most people have turned evil. He stays with his friend in his apartment for the duration of the movie going back and forth over whether this is real. He even gets calls from the girl his buddy is dating and thinks she's in on it. There are no boring parts of the movie and you're always wondering if it's real or not. In the end, his buddy lets him tie him up since he thinks the war is coming. He lets him do that for trust. The guy almost pours sulfuric acid over his head during his delusion, but at the last second doesn't. And it turns out it was all a delusion.

Not worth your time

[nicholasjkoss · 2/10 · 16 July 2016]

This film was so bad on both a technical and storytelling level that I felt compelled to create an IMDb account to review it. I am usually not someone who feels so inclined to express their thoughts for everyone to see, but I think everyone needs to know what they are getting in to.

I'll start on the positives. I honestly don't understand where all the raving reviews came from, but I will admit that the acting in the film isn't the worst I've ever seen. These actors are not Birdemic level bad, but they aren't more than a few notches higher. The comedic moments in this film are the only saving grace and that's why I rated it a 2 out of 10. I laughed a few times. The problem is that the enjoyable moments are way too far apart and they are only brief moments.

Every other aspect of this film is horrible. I'm talking god awful to the point where I wanted to stop watching within the first 10 minutes. The movie feels like it goes on for an eternity even though it is only 80 minutes. The pacing is so bad that it was hard to stay awake while watching it. The script is nonsense. I know that it's supposed to be a metaphor for mental illness and you're supposed to wonder if the events are really happening or if they are in his head. The problem is that there are no interesting moments exploring this concept, and the whole film seems like a waste. It's not clever at all.

You can absolutely tell this is a seriously low budget film. They didn't try to make this film look or sound good at all. I know how to light a scene, and almost every scene in this film looks like an amateur who hasn't learned proper lighting. The camera angles are weak and add no motivation or subtext to any of the scenes. The audio is awful throughout the entire film. You can hear the exact points where they fade out audio clips. The obviously just threw on exponential fade effects on everything and hoped it would sound okay. There are many times outside where they ADR audio and it is very out of place. I don't even think they had room tone for half of the scenes. The editing is GARBAGE. Who ever edited this film doesn't understand anything about editing or creating smooth transitions from scene to scene. It was always jarring in the worst ways and audio was badly cut between transitions.

I hate when people give films like this a pass because they're "low budget". The fact is that you don't need a high budget to fix any of the problems this film had. If the script was better and they had more competent people working with the same equipment this movie could have been decent. They didn't even spend any money on special effects. Literally every "scary moment" is just created through suspenseful and creepy audio noises (which weren't really good). Knowing that this production is considered an actual film that was won awards and is available to stream on Netflix is just frustrating and pathetic. Sorry I had to be so mean about it, but it's the truth.

Difficult Reality

[terrazygotes-30881 · 7/10 · 30 December 2019]

I don't know, that this film would make sense to anyone, who has never been affected by mental illness themselves or in those close to them. It's a very scary and tragic occurrence. Here, the afflicted person is fortunate enough to be loved and supported, which is rare. He is afforded trust, which is very difficult to do, with someone, who is behaving incomprehensibly. I thought, like others from what I'd read, that this was to be an imaginary horror or thriller story. In fact it is a very realistic drama about mental illness, which is character-driven and may be boring to many, if they were looking for fantastical entertainment. Because I am interested in human interactions, their causes and repercussions, I was able to empathize with the characters' dilemmas and found the unravelling of the story suspenseful. It becomes very dark and uncomfortable to watch, but the ending gives hope, that with love darkness can be dispelled.

Are you kidding me?

[hnhnyc · 2/10 · 30 December 2017]

I skimmed the IMDB reviews and thought, okay, "It's going to be a slow burn, it's not about jump scares, it's an indie film, but with a 6 it's gotta be worth it, right?" The only thing scary or remotely psychologically disturbing about this experience was that I didn't turn it off after 15 minutes like my gut told me to. It was the longest 80 minutes I've spent being trudged through a movie all year. This is an art school vanity project by an art school student who may have heard hipster voices at the Brooklyn dive bar where this was conceptualized late one night after one too many telling him to make this movie. The voices were likely drunk friends with cameras. Real voices. Now that's scary.