Hypochondriac (2022 | US | 96 minutes | Addison Heimann)
Destroyed as a child through the violent fits, paranoia, and hallucinations of a mother unable to care for herself or her family, Will does everything in his power to forget and move forward with a normal life. He’s managed to find a loving partner, a decent career (even if he is bullied by an overprivileged white woman with no talent other than berating her employees), and a calm happy life. Things start to go sideways when his mother makes contact, first through odd boxes of cult-related reading materials followed by unwelcome and traumatizing visits. Soon his life is thrown into chaos and we start to wonder if it’s his mind playing tricks on him or if the world has gone completely mad?
Rising star Zach Villa has shown us a wide range of acting talent (among other skills) on several film and tv appearances like Shameless, The Expanse and Station 19; Hypochondriac is no exception. From frustrated and undervalued to chaotically unpredictable, Villa takes us on a journey into the unplumbed depths of mental health, the concept of reality and when we no longer trust ourselves to know what that truth is. A well-written and hypnotic script keeps moving forward like a derailed freight train. You’re just waiting for the crash, because you know it’s coming but you’re not sure when or how the final blow will come.
While Villa captivates the audience on screen, his co-stars Devon Greye (romantic partner Luke) and Marlene Forte (Mother) play a vital, if unsung, role in creating the suspenseful setting in which he can burst forth with such a powerful performance. The storyline had a slow build allowing us time to settle in and accept the world in which he lives. Then as things begin to slide downhill and turn upside down, we’re left to wonder what is really going on. The unexpected madness that overtakes more than one character near the end has drawn us in and we’re left to wonder if we’re the unstable ones.
Hypochondriac premiered in person on March 14 and virtually on March 15 at SXSW Film 2022. Be sure to check out all the SXSW 2022 Sunbreak Coverage