A therapist, Steven (David Wittman), records sessions with Christian (writer-director Joseph F. Alexandre), a patient with, according to Steven, homicidal tendencies, repressed homosexuality, an Oedipus deal of some sort, and psychotropic overload — having been overprescribed Ritalin as a kid. Steven, himself, is a sort of low-rent Sean Astin, grumbling inwardly throughout sessions, writing rude things on his pad, complaining about how boring this patient is, and replaying in his mind arguments with his mistress.

As the sessions go on, Stevn begins to suspect Christian may be involved in a string of male model murders.

This 1994 movie is created on VHS with multiple low-quality intercuts depicting the inner thoughts and flashbacks of the characters. Visually, it is drab and unpleasant, the audio is muddy and amateurish, and the plot is a rather by-the-numbers attempt at a Hitchcockian thriller. Acting is about what you’d expect.

Now, I like a lot of low-budget films. I’ve often mentioned my love for Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter and the like. This feels like an ambitious student film that probably got a good grade but isn’t really ready for the general public.

Now, as it pursues an intentionally Hitchcock-inspired story, there of course must be a twist. You could probably even guess from my synopsis. To be fair, this was before the spate of films fetishizing the twist ending that came flooding into the market after M Night Shyamalan came on the scene. But still.

To modern audiences, this film has some homophobic content (repressed gay = serial killer is a tired trope), and demonizes medication, which would make it unpalatable even if everything else were well-made.

To its credit, it seems earnest and well-intended, and some folks might enjoy watching it in a sort of experimental film sort of way, but it wasn’t my cup of Ritalin.

3 out of 10 Psychotropics