Two best friends who love horror films and want to make their own are followed by one of their brothers to make a a documentary of their process. This is the documentary that follows these two friends who have more ideas than they can count and talent enough to make them happen. Just so happens they have Down Syndrome, but they’re not going to let that stop them.
Directed by Jesse Suchmann (Sam’s brother) and Robert Carnevale, this documentary is one that is done with love and an honest interest in showing what the titular two can do. The fact that one of the directors is the brother of one of the stars is something that definitely puts this documentary in the intimately knowing its subject category and definitely not objective. However, objectivity is not why people will went to watch this. People will want to watch this because of Sam and Mattie and because they want to the see the story of 2 young men with Down Syndrome making a movie. The documentary itself is well shot and well done overall and it’s got plenty to bring the viewer in and make them want to see the film these two are working on. There is a ton of heart in how this documentary is done and it’s a large part of what makes it worth it.
The two leads here are 2 passionate young men who have been friends forever and will most likely be friends for even longer than that. These two love movies, horror in particular, and they want to make a film about their favorites, zombies! So they get going and the documentary follows them from the start of getting script together, to getting a script review from a famous filmmaker and getting special effects assistance from some of the best in the industry, to shooting the film near their home, to the premiere itself. There are so many great moments in here, they all make it a much watch film.
Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie is a fantastic documentary that will leave viewers feeling good and wanting to go after their own dreams the way Sam and Mattie do. This is an easy to watch film that should be sought out on VOD and enjoyed with family and friends.