It’s really sucky that Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse’s horror comedy “Summoning Sylvia” is one of the genre gems that audiences seem to be sleeping on. I say that because “Summoning Sylvia” is everything you can want in a horror comedy. Not only does it adhere to the classic supernatural movie tropes, but it also subverts them by unfolding a very heartfelt narrative with richly developed characters. While a film like this could have served the fully LGBTQ cast as stereotypes, directors and writers Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse introduce these characters one by one and then smash our pre-conceived notions.
A gay bachelor party takes a spooky turn when sinister spirits are suddenly summoned. The warm and whimsical Larry has been kidnapped by his three best friends for a bachelor weekend getaway at a haunted house. As they sashay through the Victorian corridors, the comrades recount the house’s legend from a hundred years ago: A murderous woman named Sylvia slaughtered her son and buried him beneath the floorboards. All seems fine and spooky until Larry’s ultra-straight brother-in-law crashes the proceedings.
What I loved about “Summoning Sylvia” most is how heartfelt it was, and how it very heavily dealt with fascinating exposition, themes about family and love, and really digging in to the relatable situations our main protagonist Larry is dealing with. As a gay man he’s pulled back and forth between wanting to win over his in laws, while also adhering to his own true self, and this adds considerable tension. This becomes especially intense when we meet Harrison, Larry’s potential (hetero) brother in law. Like the four main characters, there are a lot of pre-conceived notions and ideas about him when we first meet him, and the writing team delights in chipping away at that.
Deep down while “Summoning Sylvia” is a supernatural mystery, it’s also a wonderful tale about expectations and the lengths we’ll go through for someone we love. The mystery with Sylvia and the turmoil with Larry parallel beautifully, with the foursome’s hijinks involving mysterious goings on around their vacation house escalating more and more. A lot is left up to interpretation and even leads to a kind of turn of events for the characters, as they come to senses of realization and discovery. The entire cast is downright great, offering up portrayals of well developed, likable individuals, while also never failing to deliver a good laugh.
Everyone manages to garner their own moments of real heart and comedy, and I was especially fond of Frankie Grande, and Travis Coles. There isn’t a single flaw in the respective small cast, and they work wonderfully off of one another. That said, I think some audiences might leave a tad disappointed at how everything is resolved involving Sylvia and the potential haunting occurring. However, I think when the smoke clears, “Summoning Sylvia” will be (and should be) appreciated as a fantastic, sharply written horror comedy.
Currently screening in major markets nationwide and is now playing on Cable VOD and Digital HD, including iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Comcast and Verizon.