I caught the Saturday late-night movie at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Custom (2024), and was pleasantly surprised by the concept. The last act lost me, but the first two acts make Custom worth checking out at least once. We follow a couple who produces erotic films when they get a mysterious client who requests strange custom content. The client’s motivations are slowly revealed as the couple’s world unravels. If you are a fan of erotic horror movies, you may be intrigued by Custom‘s setup. I usually avoid this sub-genre, but I began leaning in when I picked up the trail of cult and demon activities. The story is interesting enough for at least one watch, but the concept is worth revisiting multiple times.
That Is A Lot Of Money…
“Make the money, don’t let the money make you,” is a quote from The Player’s Club. I did not foresee this quote describing this horror film, but it fits too well. We follow Harriet (Abigail Hardingham) and Jasper (Rowan Polonski) as they try to maintain their romantic and business relationship. The business part of their relationship causes extra tension between the two artists.
When a new client offers ten thousand dollars for custom videos, the couple jumps at the chance (even I would at least consider it for 10 racks). At first, the videos seem strange, but as they continue making custom content, they realize more than their bodies are on the line. This concept alone was terrifying. Sex workers are constantly putting themselves at risk because they can never truly know the intentions of a client. That is especially true in this case, with the client not allowing them to watch the tapes back.
We Have So Much Confusion
As the mystery began to unfold, I felt a little underwhelmed. There are breadcrumbs of cults, demons, and dark dimensions, but we never truly get an entire piece of toast. Jasper breaks the rules (because, of course, he does) and watches the tape against the warning of the mysterious client and his friends. He also realizes they cannot remember what they recorded. He becomes fixated on uncovering the purpose of the tapes and what is happening during the sessions.
We see flashes of terrifying imagery, but not enough to keep me focused or interested in the mystery. I needed something more concrete instead of the idea of a multidimensional demonic cult (I am still not sure if that is exactly what it is). The visuals and the concept are the best things about the film. The third act left me confused. However, that might be cured with an additional viewing.
You can also check out Jazz’s thoughts on House Of Ashes out of Brooklyn Horror Fest!
