Every Family Has Their Demons: A Review Of “When I Consume You” (2021)

WHEN I CONSUME YOU has some massive Glass Eye Pix vibes. Its stark vibes feel like a spiritual successor to Larry Fessenden’s “Habit.”  The film is about codependent siblings Daphne and Wilson.  Having fled an abusive childhood, and with no apparent friends or family in their lives, they rely on each other in their cramped Brooklyn apartment. The fragile peace of their lives is shattered when Wilson finds Daphne, a former addict (yet more stable of the two) dead in her room. Though blamed on a relapse, Wilson believes it to be the work of a demonic force that’s been after them since childhood. What follows is a laugh riot…just kidding.

Perry Blackshear’s latest feature is the 10,000th horror film in recent years to be about trauma. The limited budget causes the film to rest on the shoulders of Evan Dumouchel’s Wilson.  Without Daphne, Wilson can barely hold it together, but Dumouchel does good work showing him try. 

Daphne may have been the addict, but Wilson looks like he’ll come apart at the seams at any moment.  Thankfully, Daphne’s spirit appears to help him find the demon that killed her.  It may sound hokey, but Libby Ewing is effective as the spirit who might just be Wilson’s fragile mind splitting apart.  Blackshear stages several creepy moments where she appears out of nowhere.  

Wilson (Evan Dumouchel) is aided by his dead sister Daphne (Libby Ewing)

We follow Wilson as he faces the demon that’s haunted him (figuratively and literally).  There’s some loose backstory involving the Heart Sutra, but the nature of the demon is kept vague.  Sometimes it appears as a guy whose face is obscured by his hoodie, which is more distracting than scary.  Other times, it appears as 2 glowing yellow eyes in the dark, which is a frightening contrast in an otherwise-lo fi movie.  Macleod Andrews shows up in a supporting role I don’t want to ruin, but it’s Ewing and Dumochel’s show.  Plus the yellow-eyed specter. 

That thing will stick with you.

The longer the film goes on, the more its washed out Brooklyn setting feels like an effective backdrop for Wilson’s mental state.  Blackshear knows what he’s doing, even if the evil the siblings face is presented as extremely opaque.  It may be too much of a slow burn for some, but “When I Consume You” would make a great double feature with “Daniel Isn’t Real.”

“When I Consume You” is available on Shudder and VOD platforms August 16th.

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