‘My momma was a whore.’
Released after serving his time for murdering his mother, Henry (Michael Rooker) moves into penitentiary pal Otis’ (Tom Towles) grim Chicago apartment. When Henry’s not working as a pest controller, he’s stalking random women and murdering them. Henry murders anyone he feels like murdering; women, children, TV salesmen, whole families.
Otis’ sister Becky (Tracy Arnold) who is escaping her violent ex-husband moves in with the pair and develops a crush on Henry which isn’t really reciprocated because, well, Henry’s jam isn’t normal relationships.
Very loosely based on real-life serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole, Henry is relentlessly bleak, disturbing and very, very depressing. It’s super low budget, grimy aesthetic and naturalistic acting style make it feel like you’re watching a really twisted home movie.
As quoted from the reference book 1001 Movies to See Before You Die: "Henry evokes horror through gritty realism and excellent acting. The film is not fun to watch, but it is important in that it forces viewers into questioning our cultural fascination with serial killers.”
‘Fun’ fact: Michael Rooker remained in character for the duration of the shoot. His wife discovered she was pregnant and waited until filming had wrapped to tell him.
Content warning: rape, extreme and very realistic violence, necrophilia, the kid dies too.
Final verdict: No man ever needs help getting something in the back of a van.
