Lovers of Hate
Made to both creep you out and make you laugh, this film is about two brothers and their sibling rivalry. With serious scenes like from a thriller, and its offbeat humor, Lovers of Hate is well acted and holds the audience’s attention.
Written and directed by Bryan Poyser, the film starts with an odd scene with a middle-aged white guy, Rudy (Chris Doubek), washing himself with a hose as his wife of 12 years, Diana (Heather Kafka) has thrown him out of the house, and he is living in his Ford Escort in Austin. We soon realize that his younger brother, Paul (Alex Karpovsky) is a successful writer of a series of children’s fantasy books (similar to Harry Potter), and that Rudy had given him the story idea when they were kids. As Rudy has been unable to get his own writing career on track with the Lovers of Hate book he has been writing for years, he resents his brother’s fame and fortune. When Paul makes a move on Diana while they are in a ski lodge inPark City, Rudy tracks them down and starts stalking the couple.
I hate to say it, but neither of the brothers are that handsome, and I couldn’t imagine any lady wanting to choose between the two, but for now as all the actors are around the same age it makes the trio a bit more realistic. Rudy just seems crazy, and Paul is total opposite with his sleek hair and clothes, and Diana is a confused woman caught in the middle of it all. Most of the shots in this film are of the house, showing the enclosed space, as well as some scenes of the snow. There are some tense scenes when Rudy has sneaked into the house, and is trying to tip-toe around without anyone seeing him, and Diana thinks she has heard Paul comeback from going to the supermarket, when really it was Rudy. There is also a scene that is both sad, but funny, when Rudy has gotten into the house and hears his wife and brother being passionate.
After Rudy escapes into the boot of Diana’s car as she leaves Paul behind, she eventually realizes Rudy is there, and leaves him at a gas station. At the end of this film you really feel for poor Diana, and just want to give the poor woman a break after being around such crazy guys! Strangely, you can already watch the film with video on demand, even though it was shown on the big screen. However, watching it on a big screen was unusual, as most indie films that are smart, with strong dialogue, sometimes have trouble finding the right niche nowadays, and with three unknown actors that makes it even harder. With its characters being crazy, but believable, you get used to them by the end. Overall, I thought this film was a decent comedy, but not necessarily one that you might want to see again.
Lovers of Hate premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was exhibited at the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival.
Lovers of Hate • Dolby® Digital surround sound in select theatres • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 • Running Time: 93 minutes • MPAA Rating: Not Rated • Distributed by IFC