Creep [2014]

CREEP [2014]

We've all met the friend-of-a-friend whose twisted and dark sense of humor goes beyond your group's level of acceptance, or the weird guy in class or work who you don't want to be friends with at the same time you don't want to be overly rude or mean to.  And we all have that friend that is all too naive despite how incredibly smart they are.  It's those human qualities that make CREEP all too effective at being all too real. 

 Josef is a successful 40-something who when isn't spending tubby time with imaginary babies, costume raping his wife, or taking pictures of you, is giving random hugs to random people and lying about being terminally ill.  

Aaron answers his Craigslist ad offering to pay $1000 to video diary "a day in the life of" to leave to his unborn son that he doesn't have coming before he doesn't kick the bucket..  As the day progresses Aaron becomes more and more aware that something is not awry.

When I read "creep" I don't really envision a psychopathic lunatic, more like fist-pumping misogynistic club hopper with a fake tan and douche posse.  And when I see CREEP's movie poster I get more of a feeling of big budget slasher than I do ultra-unsettling and extremely disturbing found footage character study.  But that's what we get.

Aaron is mostly behind the camera as Josef deliberately torments him, but incrementally, as to not scare the puppy away and often tugs on its chain with irregular bouts of hilarity to break the seriousness of the situation to continue the end game Josef has in mind.

When Aaron has finally had enough he retreats back home to safety, but is quickly reminded that Josef isn't quite finished with him.

CREEP impregnates feelings of uncomfortableness that most make efforts to avoid.  Those brave enough to endure the skincrawling descent have their level of commitment tested over and over as the tension and disturbed mystery that is Josef builds and builds until we're rewarded with one of the most climactic, yet almost slow motioned, denouement ever seen in a found-footage horror.  It's hand-over-mouth shocking and can't look away hypnotic.

8/10