With her feature directorial debut, Your Monster, writer/director Caroline Lindy dishes out a crowd-pleasing horror rom-com that puts a fun spin on a tale as old as time, and thoroughly thrives on the flawless chemistry of its talented leads. 

Based on Lindy’s 2019 short film of the same name, Your Monster instantly sinks its teeth into viewers through the tragic comedy of its main character’s personal demise. Not only is aspiring actress Laura (Melissa Barrera) dealing with a recent cancer diagnosis, but she’s also reeling from a sudden breakup that causes a dream role to be ripped away from her. While the break-up Laura endures is absolutely brutal, Lindy never shies away from playing Laura’s heartbreak for laughs. Frankly, the domino-like collapse of Laura’s life is so harsh and convoluted, you can’t help but laugh at the worsening nature of it. Plus, Barrera showcases a rarely seen comedic side to herself. Sure, we’ve seen her have funny moments and dialogue in the last couple Scream films. But, it doesn’t compare to the free comedic rein Barrera clearly has here. 

Barerra utilizes the messiness of Laura’s life to deliver these over-the-top crying fits that hit hard yet come off incredibly comical. She matches the snarkiness of Lindy’s script well and has some funny lines that eventually culminate in a hilarious, ego-shredding tirade against her narcissistic ex Jacob (Edmund Donovan). And, she only gets better once she’s given an unexpected frenemy. Eventually, Laura discovers a monster (Tommy Dewey) living in her closet, and they end up becoming two endlessly entertaining roommates from Hell. Their initial meeting is incredible because of Laura’s ear-shattering screams and the surprisingly calm voice Dewey brings to the role. Seriously, despite Monster’s daunting appearance, Dewey and Lindy give this character a normalcy that’s absolutely hilarious. Dewey’s line-delivering embodies great comedic timing and cunning wit, and he makes Monster a more approachable, likeable character through his sheer charm. 

Together, Laura and Monster are a loveable comedic duo who hook you through their petty disputes. Each spat they have over what to watch on TV or Laura’s sadness makes them such a blast to watch. They’re an odd couple who excel at getting under each other’s skin and it’s where Lindy’s comedic writing shines brightest. However, their ice-cold feud eventually melts into a surprisingly tender romance, and it’s where Lindy’s direction and writing are at its best. Lindy shows a great sense of patience in letting Laura and Monster develop a real connection, and it pays off in a romance narrative that’s honestly awesome. 

There’s something so natural about how their unnatural relationship grows, and Monster especially steals your heart with how Lindy and Dewey showcase a softer, more caring side to him. Every time he gives Laura the confidence or comfort she needs, there’s a palpable warmth that goes through everyone, and it subverts expectations excellently. Not to mention, the chemistry between Barerra and Dewey is magnificent and they totally commit to all the wild fun their characters go through together. Laura and Monster embody all the great elements of a classic “Beauty and the Beast” style romance – right down to a horror-themed ballroom dancing scene. Also, there’s some fun horror bits thrown in that showcase how much Monster cares for Laura. The shift between comedic pettiness to blossoming romance is incredibly well done and builds towards a final stretch that’s passionate and a tad frustrating. 

While it makes sense that Laura finds herself compelled to recapture her relationship with Jacob because of how it affects her life, it feels like a story thread that hurts the film too much. Often, it’s a recurring plot beat that creates frustrating turns in Laura’s behavior. Her actions sometimes forcibly create unnecessary conflicts that drag the story down and get in the way of a loving connection with Monster for no reason at all. 

Yet, it doesn’t take away from the empowering nature of Laura’s story. With Your Monster, Lindy crafts a finale that taps into the rawness of its story and characters, and propels it into an unforgettable experience. The genre blending of horror, romance, and even musicals reaches new heights as Barerra absolutely stuns in her performance – effortlessly showcasing her range. Laura’s arc ends on a deeply thoughtful note that’s emotionally satisfying and even has some drips of horror injected into it. Even the film’s title gets some strong meaning attached to it and the surprising romance of Monster and Laura is given a tearful send-off. 

Your Monster is one hell of a breakout debut for Lindy that spins a “Beauty and the Beast” romance into a loveable genre blender that sees Barrera and Dewey completely enamor audiences with their combined spark. It’s that type of hidden gem that instantly impresses and ultimately results in one of the most fun and compelling horror rom-coms in recent memory.

Watch the Trailer Here: