Jason Biggs, aka Jim from AMERICAN PIE, is behind the camera this year with the comedy-thriller UNTITLED HOME INVASION ROMANCE. I’ve talked to plenty of actors-turned-directors and most of them dip their toes in with a smaller project before going into a full feature; a music video, an episode of television, a short film, etc. Not Biggs. He dove straight in. I admire that.
Not veering too far from his wheelhouse, UNTITLED HOME INVASION ROMANCE is a thriller second and a comedy first. Biggs plays Kevin, a lovelorn loser you could easily mistake for Jim, who has been separated from his wife Suzie, played by Meaghan Rath, for a few weeks following an impasse. Eager to prove himself a manly man capable of protecting her through all of life’s foibles, he arranges a romantic getaway at her father’s summer rental cabin… with a twist. He’s convinced a buddy from his acting class to arrive at the home, “break in,” and threaten the couple so that Kevin can puff his chest out and chase the “assailant” away. As is typically the case with these sorts of schemes, things go awry, and soon bodies start dropping.
UNTITLED HOME INVASION ROMANCE comes across as light and slapsticky, despite its fairly steep body count and frequent disregard for its victims. It’s genuinely funny at times while unnecessarily cruel at others, which creates a unique tone for the first-time director. Meaghan Rath is a welcome surprise as Suzie, a self-assured success with a lurking darkness within her that craves transparency. Anna Konkle as a childhood friend of Suzie’s and the town’s sheriff steals the whole movie. Biggs is classic Jim, er, I mean Kevin, and we cringe at every obvious misstep along his journey, bemoaning his fate while knowing full well he bought and paid for every just dessert.
UNTITLED HOME INVASION ROMANCE is a fine film. It’s not going to win any awards but it does what it’s meant to do. Perhaps too mean for comedy fans and too silly for horror/thriller fans, UHIR sits perfectly atop its unique genre. I laughed and had a good time with the premise and narrative beats. Biggs proves a capable director and I’ve no doubt we’ll see more from him. I personally hope he’ll stretch himself more; maybe even contribute to the next script and surprise us all. The connective tissue between comedy and horror is thin, as proven by creators like Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger, so I don’t think it’d be unreasonable to see Jason Biggs coming out with the next left-field horror hit. It’s also entirely possible that he’ll come up with something that makes us cover our eyes for other reasons.
I had the chance to chat very briefly with Jason Biggs and co-star Meaghan Rath about jumping into directing a feature, filming when your scene partner is also your director, and the relationship of comedy and horror.
UNTITLED HOME INVASION ROMANCE is available now for rent or purchase on all streaming providers.
Until next time, take care!
-McEric, aka Eric McClanahan-
