Sis Boom Bah… ‘Model Hunger’ Hits the Spot (Review)

Written by: Tara Mae Jackson

Directed by: Debbie Rochon

Cast: Lynn Lowry, Tiffany Shepis

We all know that in the horror genre we have our icons and scream queens, the names you perk up at when you hear they’ve been in a particular title, who’s performances we can’t get enough of, and who’s faces have been on our screens countless times. It is even better when you have two or three of these icons within the same film, a product that can be nearly irresistible to watch. We grow up watching these stars, we become familiar with them and look forward to seeing them again, and as their movie lists grow, we grow and look for their next projects. So when one ventures behind the camera, we take notice, wondering what they will bring from the other side of the film.

Model Hunger is Scream Queen and Tromette Debbie Rochon’s directorial debut, and she really served up a film feast worth dining on! As I saw promo’s on twitter for this, I took notice, not only were we getting a look at Rochon’s directorial take on horror, but we were getting Lynn Lowry and Tiffany Shepis in the bargain! Needless to say, I waited eagerly for the chance to view, because a collection of names like these is a little hard to resist for avid fans such as myself!

This movie serves up a tale of bitter vengeance at the hands of the spurned model and actress Ginny Reilly, who’s body type has cost her a place in the world of fame. As pretty young girls begin to find themselves on Ginny’s menu, her new neighbor Debbie has begun to have some serious suspicions concerning her lifestyle. The validity of Debbie’s suspicions are in question due to her history of psychological issues, but her obsession mounts culminating in a clash between the women you won’t want to miss!

Lynn Lowry’s performance as the rejected Ginny was such a treat, and she really amped up the psycho-violence in her scenes; fully getting into character to torment her unlucky victims. The lines were delivered with the perfect punctuality of the brutal attacks, leaving me completely amused and wanting more. Tiffany Shepis as the suspicious neighbor on the verge of a complete breakdown was the perfect catalyst to an explosive ending, and kept you on edge, awaiting the moment that these forces would collide. Rochon’s glimpse into the mind breaking events rejection can have on lives, and the direct effect that ripples out to damage those around us was definitely a well prepared dish of stone cold vengeance.

Independent cinema may be without the high dollar effects, and glitz and glam, but what it lacks sometimes in polish, it can make up for in raw force. Model Hunger is full of raw force, and definitely a wonderful installment to the indie horror list of stand out films. Anyone looking for a delicious mix of gory violence and a dark twist on fun familiar lines such as “rah rah sis boom bah” will find this film more than satisfying. It is no wonder that it has garnered some attention, and well deserved praise. That said, if you lack a dark sense of humor you may want to skip this one, as that is a prevalent factor throughout the feature.

Rating: 4/5