Directors: Lindsey Haun, Nick Roth
Writer: Nick Roth
Stars: Toby Bryan, Jacob Demonte-Finn, Clare Grant
Synopsis: A man and his sentient napkin friend save the world from a dark evil in a cabin deep in the Utah mountains, and also learn to love.
A no-longer-than-an-hour-and-a-half, solid, horror comedy has become a rare gem recently. Thus my surprise to find Hanky Panky, a silly, tongue-in-cheek feature debut from Lindsey Haun and Nick Roth, an emerging new director duo on the horror scene. Imagine bringing in a bunch of genres, and mixing them in the blender while sprinkling the top with some shrooms, the result…is a chaotic mess.
The film’s premise is as adorable as it is absurd: A cabin in the snow. A group of unfortunate misfits. A two-faced woman called Lilith. A man and his talking, excessively swearing handkerchief. And a setting suitable for a murder or an orgy. In a secluded, snowy mountain cabin, our protagonists gather for a retreat by a quirky ayahuasca wannabe shaman. Things get complicated when bodies start piling up and a talking hat is the villain, wreaking havoc on our protagonists and their handy friend the wanky handkerchief.
The film relies on all the complacent horror tropes; extreme close-ups and awkward Dutch angles, over-the-top actors’ reactions, dialogue that runs towards ridiculous at times, and off-camera murders with copious amounts of fake blood splatters, and yet, all those elements seem to make it work. It’s funny without being overt, it’s got some decent jump scares, and it’s a great companion on a trip, that is, if the trip is toned down to below 30 Fahrenheit.
The fun behind the camera and the feel of the gone-and-forgotten indie movie where people brought along their friends and non-actors to a non-existent set where everyone got high and went home happy is there.
One of the key things that makes Hanky Panky work is Toby Bryan’s voice as Woody, the foul-mouthed, talking handkerchief, and the main protagonist, Sam’s, best friend. Woody seems out of a Wong Kar-wai alternate universe if Cop 663’s house items have decided to talk back to their lonely, chatty owner in Chungking Express. Woody is gross, witty, and doesn’t miss a chance to let out a crude remark or a sneaky chuckle. He’s the perfect antithesis to Sam, and he makes sure to make himself heard. He has a voice unlike his human friend Sam, whose isolation and social discomfort make his voice come out sputtering and fiddling with self-expression unless he’s trying to flirt.
Roth excels as the co-director, and his on-screen presence as Dr. Crane is always a joy. It reminds me of David Cross’s portrayal of Tobias Fünke in the same deluded gullible existence that seems unaware of its incredulousness. Clare Grant shines as the stereotypical Southern, friendly neighbor, and plays her role with such saccharine-heavy positivity even when her truth is eventually exposed.
Everything about this movie rules. Characters -possible actors- are stoned and goofing around. The plot is too idiotic to notice any plot holes. Seeking fun and laughs for laughs is the name of the game so wrapping the audience’s mind on the turn of events or continuity seems unnecessary and sucking the enjoyment from the movie-watching experience. This is a film made with love and for the love of giggles. People who want to get a laugh at being scared, Scary Movie style are welcome to come aboard this humble abode. Hanky Panky is just for gigs. No need to go hard on it without taking into consideration the amount of brilliance Nick and Lindsey have exhibited to make such a moronic premise not only work but surpass initial skepticism. The dialogue and the acting are its strongest points, and while it falls short of its horror scope sometimes, it has a lot to make up for what it is lacking.
