If you’re looking for an indie short that’s both utterly disgusting and very disturbing then I have the ticket for you. “The Growth” is almost like a neo-version of “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill,” where we set our sights on a very lonely mane named Bill who lives a life of solitude and isolation. The man is middle-aged, a bachelor and completely lets his family down at every turn when they attempt to get closer to him. After being set up on a date by a friend, he arrives home completely exhausted and explains to his online friend that in the middle of a date the girl he was with bit him on the shoulder in the heat of passion.
What starts out as a heavy wound soon becomes something much more as it begins to fester, spread across his body, and soon destroy Bill with gory blood soaked results. The origins of the woman who gave Bill the bite remains completely enigmatic but the mystery is all apart of what makes the movie so excellent. The bite and why she bit him and why she spread this virus to him doesn’t matter too much. What is apparent is that this is a death that he seems very willing to endure. Much like “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill,” this disease becomes a pure manifestation of Bill’s own resentment and self-hatred and he seems to accept that this is his fate in spite of his vain attempts to cut off the source.
And we mean that literally. The movie is very well paced and never misses a beat. Through set pieces and props we learn a lot about Bill and thanks to a wild voice cameo from Penn Jillette we know that Bill isn’t seeking much in the way of long term fulfilling relationships in his life. And whatever this disgusting infection is takes over the man’s entire being within a matter of hours and he manages to suffer a horrific fate that’s befitting for someone who never sought out to leave much of a legacy to begin with.
It sounds like I’m getting very philosophical, but if you think that’s all it is, then you’re wrong. The make up effects from Grace Lee are fantastic and absolutely nauseating with spewing blood, pussy pores, and dead skin that is torn off and splattered along the walls. The grim finale is a hint of something much bigger at hand, but I’m satisfied with this little look at a horror story that pulls out all the stops with such a small budget. Gory, gruesome, disgusting, and yet pretty complex, “The Growth” is a splatterfest of a short film that will tickle the bones of any horror fan looking for great special effects and mutilation along with great acting and top notch production qualities. I enjoyed the hell out of it. And be sure to stay after the credits. Spooky stuff.