It’s not easy to make a slap-stick comedy about suicide and spree killing, but Suicide for Beginners, written and directed by Craig Theiman, makes it look like a walk in the park. Set mostly inside of a suburban garage, Suicide for Beginners starts out as a hostage situation but quickly escalates into an out-of-control rampage by the most insufferable protagonist you’ve ever met. While the dark subject matter that this movie has to offer may not be for everybody, it’s an absolute riot from start to finish as the body-count rises when several unfortunate witnesses get killed off in the most hilarious ways possible.
The Story
I just want to start by saying my use of the word “protagonist” may not be the best way to describe Garrett (Wil Daniels).
He’s very much an antagonistic figure as he embarks on his bloody rampage, but since Suicide for Beginners is told from mostly his perspective, he’s still the main character. However, that doesn’t mean you necessarily want to root for the guy either.
Suicide for Beginners introduces us to Garret, a jilted lover of sorts who his holding the unrequited love (read: cheating girlfriend) of his life, Mia (Sara Tomko), hostage in her house while he attempts to draft a convincing suicide note before doing whatever it is he’s setting out to do.
Given how clumsy and critical of his own writing he is, I’m not quite sure what his actual end goal is, but it’s clear that whatever heinous act he decides to carry out won’t end well. When Garret’s depressive behavior catches the attention of Rick (Nate Panning), his pizza delivery guy, Rick’s girlfriend, Abigail (Julia Lehman), urges him to go back to the house to check up on him.
One Of Sid Haig’s Final Roles
Answering the door with a poorly made noose around his neck, Garret reluctantly lets Rick and Abigail into the house, which ends up turning Suicide for Beginners into a dark comedy of errors.
Deciding that it’s in his best interest to hold Rick and Abigail hostage, Garret ties them up next to Mia because they’re now witnesses. Matters escalate further when Mia’s landlord, Barry (Sid Haig in one of his last roles before his passing), shows up because Mia hasn’t been answering her phone.
One Of The Coreys
When Garret’s garage door opens, everybody in the neighborhood can see what he’s up to. The kill count in Suicide for Beginners hits astonishing numbers while Garret runs through the neighborhood, brutally murdering anyone who might feel the need to get the authorities involved, before going back to the house to finish doing whatever the heck it is he’s trying to do.
In case you’re wondering how ridiculous things get, Corey Feldman -in a very brief cameo- is violently taken out when he’s found hiding underwater in a swimming pool.
Sloppy, Bloody Fun
Suicide for Beginners is one of those movies that you shouldn’t laugh at, but will find it hard not to while watching it. Wil Daniels is so delightfully out of his mind that you’ll want to see yourself through his series of misadventures because Garret is not only an extremely incompetent serial killer, but also subjected to ridicule from everybody who’s supposed to be afraid of him.
As his murder/suicide plot continues to unravel, things get incredibly sloppy, and that’s why this movie is so fun.
Stream It Now
However, it’s worth noting that Suicide for Beginners doesn’t make any profound statements about mental health, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you’re most likely going to be offended by this film. By the same token, if you’re looking for a mindless slasher with a profoundly morbid sense of humor, you won’t be disappointed. You can stream Suicide for Beginners on for Tubi, and it will be your new favorite summer slasher for the foreseeable future.
