THE CLOVEHITCH KILLER

US, 2018, 109 minutes, Colour.

Dylan McDermott, Charlie Plummer, Samantha Mathis, Madisen Beatty, Lance Chantiles Wertz, Jonathan K.Reeves.

Directed by Duncan Skiles.

Small-town America. There had been a history of serial killings but none for the last 10 years. Now another.

This is a very middle American small town, emphasis on the home, emphasis on church and religious beliefs, emphasis on school, emphasis on Scouting organisations and leadership. The father of the family, Don (Dylan McDermott), is something of a charismatic leader. He seems quite charming at home, with his wife played by Samantha Mathis, affirming his son, played by Charlie Plummer. There is also a young daughter.

The film shows Don in action, especially with the troops, especially with Tyler, his son. There is also an uncle in the family, Don’s brother, but he was involved in an accident 10 years earlier. Obviously, suspicions.

The audience and realises that Don is probably the serial killer. Tyler becomes curious about his father, looks and the scrawl crawlspace under the house, finds that his father has a hidden cache of bondage magazines. Tyler makes a connection with an eccentric fellow student at school, Cassie (Madison Beatty) who works with him in investigating what is happening.

The screenplay does a kind of Rashomon thing at the end of the film, showing events from the perspective of Don, then showing them from the perspective of Tyler and Cassie. The emphasis on the father-son relationship is dramatic at the end when Tyler gives a speech in honour of his father.

Some of the theory psychological moments especially as the portrait of Don develops.

1. The title? Expectations? Audience interest in serial killers? Their stories? Psychology?
2. The American small town, homes, churches and religious beliefs, Scouting organisations and leadership? School? The musical score?
3. The focus on the family, Don and his leadership, father, husband, the leadership of the group, the scouting tradition, flags and badges, ceremonial? The youngsters and their loyalty? Home life, cheerful?
4. The news of the serial killers, the number of murders, stopping after 10 years? The ceremonial to remember the dead?
5. Tyler, his age, quiet and introverted, loyal to his father? Friendship with Billy? Camp for leadership? His father not having the money? Comments on Kassi, his curiosity, following her, the discussions about the killings? Going to the house, the former secretary and her archives on the case? The access to the material? Tyler and Kassi working together, more information, speculation? Tyler lying to his mother about the job? His father’s talk with him, inviting Kassi to the meal?
6. Audience suspicions about Don? About Uncle Rudy, his accident, paraplegic, silent, the outings, the children singing at the home? The visits to church, the role of the pastor?
7. The locked shed, Tyler investigating, under the floor, the bondage magazines? His later going to the crawlspace, the further material, the box of driving licenses and other material? Talking with his father, the decision to burn this material? Don continuing to lie?
8. Sending Tyler to camp, urging his wife and daughter to go to stay with the grandmother? Don on his own, allowing his feelings to take over, the cross-dressing, following the woman from the supermarket, the home invasion, masked, bank robber, tying her up, his continued talk, the torture, ready to kill her?
9. The shift of emphasis, the alternate perspective, Tyler not going to camp, collaborating with Kassi? Following his father, seeing him at the supermarket, under the bed, the cross-dressing? Kassi arriving and the discussion about the photo? The following his father to the house, Tyler with the rifle, the confrontation with his father, his father trying to kill him, Kassi hitting Don?
10. The solution, Don dead, the burial? No information about the woman victim?
11. The final ceremony, Tyler speaking, tribute to his father, yet the crosscutting to the burial of his body?
12. Serial killers, sinister, ordinary in the home, the effect on the children? The sinister aspect of Tyler and his speech and the reality?