The universal adage “love hurts,” manifests painfully in the horror/comedy Clinger, a literal representation of the cliche. Clinger is about love gone wrong, even in the afterlife, in this wacky horror/comedy brooding with fun and often hilariously bloody moments. From director Michael Steves in his first feature length film from Paragon Pictures is distributed by Osiris Entertainment.
As one gathers from experience, love is complicated. Young love even more so with feelings of elation sometimes eliciting hyper-affection towards one’s muse. Love can also be messy and break-ups even messier. Track-and-Field student Fern Petersen (Jennifer Laporte), has ambitions to get into MIT and the last thing she needs is a distraction. But like any love story, love comes when she least expects when she meets Robert Klingher (Vincent Martella) a charming young man and talented guitarist. Soon hitting it off, perhaps a little too much, the love between Fern and Robert starts transforming into a pathetic one-sided affair. Fern can’t enjoy a chicken sandwich, without Robert hovering with his camera ready to snap a selfie, suffocating her in what looks less like an embrace and more like a choke hold. Slowly, Robert becomes that aloof clingy boyfriend cliche.
Fern is now forced to take that monumental step to break up with Robert. However, Robert has other plans, building a platform that professes his love for Fern, that ultimately takes his life in an unfortunate and bloody accident.
With that explosive and darkly funny bit the rest of the film starts to take shape with Robert continuing his obsession with Fern and bringing nothing but agony for Fern in the afterlife, as she can’t seem to get rid of her pesky–now dead– ex-boyfriend. After Robert realizes Fern intended to break up with him when he unexpectedly died, things get bloody and vengeful.
Clinger includes a zany supporting cast which includes standouts, Julia Aks (who steals the show) as Fern’s older sister Kelsey– a wannabe (failed) entrepreneur with way too many enterprises on her plate, and gym teacher/former ghost hunter Valeria (Alicia Monet Caldwell), a lewd, irritable curmudgeon who may be Fern’s only hope in stopping Robert’s vengeful ghost bent on keeping Fern forever.
Clinger is a unique ghost story that takes the genre into uncharted territory, with a charming script by Michael Steves, Bubba Fish, and Gabi Chennisi that satisfies everything that makes a horror/comedy perfect–lots of blood, plenty of comical scenarios that are genuinely funny, and undeniable appeal. There’s enough blood for those with that insatiable vampiric tendency for gore. Never without energy, Clinger, will charm, make you laugh, and possibly never let go. Ever. This B-movie is destined to become a cult classic, in what is one of the funniest, and most satisfying experiences this year, hitting all the necessary marks.
Clinger premiered at Slamdance earlier this year and has also played at Tromadance, Shriekfest, Atlanta Horror Film Festival, Nola Horror Film Festival, Texas Frightmare Weekend, and is set to play on January 31, 2016 at Horror on the Sea Film Festival in the UK. You can currently watch Clinger on VOD, on the following platforms: Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu.
