2022 / John Hyams / Peacock / R / 1hr 23min
A Rundown of Sick
The director of Sick asks their audience to take a step back to a time not very long ago. A time that almost doesn't feel real. The film takes place in April of 2020 when America went full-on pandemiania. We follow Parker, a girl in the midst of a friendship that turned complicated, who is just trying to spend lockdown alone at her parent's lake house... With her best friend, Miri. As it goes, they're not exactly alone, nor are they completely innocent.
The Team Behind Sick
Director John Hyams has produced quite a few films, but his most notable directing credit is 2009's Universal Soldier: Regeneration. Kevin Williams is one of the writers of this film, and he's notorious for his credits in the Scream films. Gideon Adlon is our not-so-likable protagonist. Her voice can be heard in Spider-Man 2 (the video game), Solar Opposites, and many others. Gideon also played Frankie in 2020's The Craft: Legacy. The actor playing Miri (Bethlehem Million) isn't familiar to me in any way, but I'd watch her again. Jane Adams plays Pamela, which I do believe she was perfect for. She just reminds me of a type of person, and if you know, you know. The only role I found recognizable from Jane is her character Carrie in Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. That leaves Marc Menchaca, who I know from the adaptation of Stephen King's novel The Outsider, where he played Jack Hoskins.
Jake's Take on Sick
Oh, gotta love a Covid story, amiright? We were all searching the local grocery store for TP, wiping down our produce, and driving back home because we forgot our mask. Sick doesn't want you to forget what those weeks, which turned into months, which became years, felt like. I enjoy these reminders of what we survived. I do wish that the plot played more with some of these covid tropes, I also roll my eyes when a sitcom does the same, so it's a bit of a double-edged sword.
Once the killer comes along, we're left with a mystery for most of the film. Why are these people being targeted? The kills are gruesome and the effects are done well. The characters aren't boring, but most of them aren't that likable. I understand that the climax can be a bit deflating. I would have really liked if once Parker had to take the Covid test, it came back negative, and instead it turned out that her best friend, Miri, actually had it the whole time. The killers motives are exposed in the last act, and perhaps some people feel that those motives are cheap. It can be perceived as the writer poking fun at those who were cautious during the pandemic, but I think it's fair to say we all looked silly, and it really brought out the worst in some of us. I'm surprised by Sick. I came into this film expecting a dud, but what I came away with is a film that comments on the ridiculousness of lockdown culture, and it did so with some slasher goodness. Check it out, it's free on Peacock.
What was the worst part about COVID-19?
Those stinky clothes masks.
Arguing with family members.
Quarantine, Blegh.
Definitely not all that time off of work.