Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Written by: Jonathan Levine (screenplay), Isaac Marion (novel)
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, John Malkovich and Cory Hardrict
When I talk about doing something new with a tired genre, this is exactly what I mean. Based on Isaac Marion’s novel of the same name, Jonathan Levine’s “Zomedy” or “Zom-com” about a zombie who falls in love with a human, and the connection he tries to form with her is endearing and witty and that’s it; but that’s all it needs. It was a pleasant surprise considering the haphazard trailer left me with no desire to see the film.
What I liked: I’ve been looking for a comedy that does nothing more than entertain. I tried Movie 43 and turned it off after the opening scene. I tried I Give it a Year and turned it off after 15 minutes. But this zombie flick had just enough gore, horror, humour and romance to hook me from the opening right through to the end. I appreciated the movie’s fast pace and Levine does a good job of keeping the focus on the love story rather than a problematic post-apocalyptic society. Nevertheless, Levine stays true to the zombie genre but without the gore that could have made it unwatchable. Nicholas Hoult does a credible job as the zombie R whose character comes alive through minimal facial expressions and voice-over. Teresa Palmer plays the embattled love interest with charm and strength and the two have great on-screen chemistry.
What I didn’t like: As I mentioned above, there really isn’t much to this movie. The zombies have no memory so the characters have no past. The zombies can’t really speak so most of the heart comes from R’s inner thoughts and his inability to express them. There is no real foil and no real villain but the time the two protagonists spend together moves the romance forward and that is enough to keep audiences engaged.
My rating: A perfect rainy day romance.
: 7.0 
: 80%
Can You Tell a Story 