FILM REVIEW: RI Filmmaker Chad Verdi’s Self Storage

Monday, September 16, 2013

Anthony Faccenda, GoLocalProv Lifestyle Contributor

In case you haven’t noticed, Rhode Island has been a hotbed for horror movies as of late. Beginning with the release of Inkubus in 2011, Woodhaven Films—which is led by producer Chad Verdi—has released one horror move per year and this year is no different. Building upon the success of last year’s zombie film Infected, the fully funded East Greenwich production company is set to release their new effort Self Storage on Tuesday, September 17 on Video on Demand.

What’s interesting about this film is that Cranston-born Tom DeNucci serves as its writer, director and star. When GoLocal first spoke to DeNucci in 2011, he was coming off a minor role in Inkubus and was awaiting the release of Infected, a movie in which he co-starred alongside Hollywood heavyweights Michael Madsen and William Forsythe. And now, two years later, DeNucci has gone from co-star to lead in Self Storage, which marks his directorial debut.

A Good Plot Goes a Long Way

So how does Self Storage stack up against Woodhaven’s previous films plot-wise? Without slighting the company’s other efforts, Self Storage is leaps and bounds above Inkubus and Infected. Whereas Inkubus tackled the supernatural and Infected attempted to reinvent the overly saturated zombie genre, the plot of Self Storage is a unique one.

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The movie centers around Jake (DeNucci), a pot-loving night watchman at a self storage facility. Unbeknownst to Jake, this seemingly harmless self storage center doubles as a warehouse for harvesting body parts. In turn, deranged owner Walter (Eric Roberts) and his right-hand man Trevor (Michael Berryman) sell these body parts on the black market. Unfortunately for Jake, he and his friends decide to throw a late night bash at said facility—making them the perfect potential victims for Walt and Trevor.

The Acting

Aside from an interesting plot, Self Storage benefits from strong performances from its lead actors. True to form, the Academy Award nominated Roberts is great as usual as Walter—a small business owner just looking to retire. Well, that’s not exactly true, but you get the idea. Coming off a string of villainous roles—including starring in The Expendables and The Dark Knight—Roberts effectively portrays Walt as a charming villain, which the audience can’t help but like and be frightened of at the same time.

If you don’t recognize the name Michael Berryman, you’ll certainly recognize his distinct look. The bald, craggily faced Berryman has starred in countless films including the original The Hills Have Eyes, The Devil’s Rejects, and the ‘80s comedy Weird Science. Berryman can play crazy with the best of them, but he turns in a more subtle performance this time around. He may be a killer, but Berryman’s portrayal of Trevor will oddly remind you of your favorite uncle.

And then there’s DeNucci, who manages to carry Self Storage when Roberts and Berryman aren’t on screen, and hold his own when they are present. DeNucci is also able to successfully transform Jake from unassuming pothead to a cool/fearless leader throughout the course of the film.

Aside from the leads, Jonathan Silverman of Weekend at Bernie’s fame also plays a small role as Jonah, a cocaine snorting bad guy, who deals in the body parts black market. Silverman is passable as a villain, but Jonah could have benefited from slightly more character development and a backstory.

Does it Deliver the Scares?

Without giving too much away, Self Storage does have its fair amount of gross-out moments and copious amounts of blood that are sure to please all gore lovers. That said, Self Storage also exhibits a certain level of suspense during the film, which makes it more than just your average horror film solely aiming for shock value.

The Final Verdict

As you can probably tell based on the synopsis, Self Storage is intended to be a fun horror movie, which it ultimately is. If you’re in the mood for a enjoyable late night popcorn flick, with its fare share of fright, Self Storage is your movie. Don’t go into the viewing expecting to see a revelation to the horror genre, but rather, just gear yourself up for a good time.

Rating: B-

For more information about Self Storage visit the film’s Facebook page and look for it on Video on Demand Tuesday, September 17, 2013.
 

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