Dear Mr. Gacy

2010 "The shocking true story of one of America’s most notorious serial killers."
6.4| 1h43m| R| en
Details

A chronicle of the interaction between college student Jason Moss and the object of his obsession, serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

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Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
bob_meg It's surprising that the substantial bulk of serial killer movies has yet to render anything really compelling about one of its most complex and twisted subjects --- John Wayne Gacy. The sheer number of accredited murders combined with the episodic series of cat and mouse plays throughout the convicted child killer/rapist's life would seem to be quite juicy fodder.And yet, all we really have to show for it are two sub-par outings (a passable TV procedural starring Brian Dennehy and a really awful feature with hammy unknown Mark Holton). And then comes "Dear Mr. Gacy" which --- if you're not aware of its extremely factual basis --- almost sounds like a bad joke.Crime student Jason Moss (Jesse Moss) embarks on an almost masochistic journey into fear and loathing by establishing a communication with the killer during his last months on earth at Illinois' Menard prison. His idea (and it IS a clever one) is to establish himself as a textbook victim that Gacy will have no choice but to lure into his web, granting Moss a first-hand look into the delusional self-aggrandizing psychopath's mind for his college Criminology term paper.It's a scenario almost tailor made for a movie script because, as we all know by now in films, if you want something that badly, the worst thing that can happen is that you get it, and Moss does. He also finds himself playing a little too perfectly into Gacy's hypnotic spell, which is complemented by all the right situational elements of his own life --- boredom with his girlfriend, resentment of his controlling mother, subtle contempt for his passive brother's victim-hood at the hands of the school bully.The weakest link here is Jesse Moss, and that's only very rarely. Mostly his performance is very good, though there are a few times it's hard to believe his reactions wouldn't be a bit more emotional after some of Gacy's truly threatening phone tirades. William Forsythe is a great actor and never more disturbing than in this role...he's the creepiest Gacy by far, expertly channeling his voyeurism with subtle bullying and manipulation, then morphing it into the "caring" love of a protective father figure, shifting on a dime. It's hard to know if his self-proclaimed stance as "king of the roost" at Menard is reality or in his head. His paintings were fetching a handsome sum near the end of his life, he had a cell with a view, TV, plants, and he could paint and smoke Cuban cigars smuggled in by guards who addressed him half-jokingly as "boss." Forsythe is a virtual cypher in the role, disappearing effortlessly into it, and leaving you very queasy in the process.All in all, DMG is an intense, fun ride you won't forget. If it had a broader scope, it might just be the definitive Gacy biopic, but it probably wouldn't be as outright compelling, either. What's probably most disturbing about this particular story is what happened to the real Jason Moss, in the end. Be careful what you wish for, indeed.
Lechuguilla For a college term paper, a rather naive young man named Jason Moss (played by actor improbably named Jesse Moss) decides to interview notorious, real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy (William Forsythe). The story, which is true, is set in the early 1990s.Gacy was convicted in 1980 of killing over thirty Chicago area boys and young men in the 1970s, and was on death row when Moss sent Gacy the initial written inquiry. Through the plot, the two correspond via letter and talk on the phone. Eventually, Gacy arranges for a personal visit from Moss.Jason comes across as smart, ambitious, and a bit smug and cocky. At no time does he express any genuine interest in Gacy as a person. Instead, Jason hopes to gain the confidence of Gacy so as to learn details about Gacy's experiences that law enforcement and the FBI were unable to learn. Jason's motives are thus somewhat selfish, and aimed at furthering his own academic career. I really didn't much sympathize with him or his tactics. And of course Gacy, the killer who dressed up as a clown, was truly evil. In short, there's no one to root for in this film.This is an unusual movie in that close-up camera shots of characters comprise much, if not most, of the scenes. Lighting is conventional. The film offers little in the way of suspense. It comes across as a TV docu-drama. Casting and acting are acceptable.For viewers interested in true crime stories, "Dear Mr. Gacy" offers a strange after-the-fact twist to a dreadful episode. And at the film's very end, the script makes a startling revelation about one of the real-life characters.
Vivekmaru45 This is one of the best films I have seen in 2010. The direction and acting is very professional. The film is about serial killer John Wayne Gacy who committed the rape and murder of 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. Twenty-six of Gacy's victims were buried in the crawlspace of his home, three others elsewhere on his property and four victims were discarded in a nearby river.Having already seen To Catch A Killer (TV 1992) starring Brian Dennehy as the serial killer John Wayne Gacy, I was expecting more of the same.I was very happy to find that the film lived up to my expectations.Veteran actor William Forsythe needs no introduction. He is brilliant in the role of Gacy. The way he acts in the film makes me think that he studied the character of John Wayne Gacy very carefully. The other brilliant star of the film is Jesse Moss who plays university student Jason Moss who interviews Gacy for his thesis.In the film Moss tries to get into the mind of Gacy by sending semi-nude photos of himself, hoping to get Gacy excited and talk more. What Moss didn't realize is that Gacy is cleverer than he thinks. What started of as a college thesis turns into an obsession between the two. Gacy starts making phone calls to Moss. During those calls he often talked about obscene sexual acts which disturbed Moss. Eventually Moss stopped conversing with Gacy for some days until he is threatened by Gacy.Eventually Gacy, who is to be executed within six days, requests Moss to visit him face-to-face for the last time....Conclusion: 10/10 for a superb psychological drama and a journey into the mind of Gacy. Buy this superb film on DVD - you won't regret it.
mindcat This is a difficult movie to watch. I rented it over the holiday week for entertainment.I felt the movie draws the viewer into the emotional sea of conflict and any flick that can do that, in my estimation is superior.Certain parts are very difficult because they deal with sexuality , ciminiality and morals all at once.The flick should not be rejected simply because it might to thought to be anti-gay. There were parts that I thought could pander to homophobic people.I would recommend it and advise imagine you are 18 years old and dealing with a psychological experiment where you become the bait for the vampire.

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