Looks That Kill Parent Guide

“Do you know what it’s like to watch someone die? To have that image burned in your head over and over?” This anguish is the critical denominator of Max Richards’ life. The teenager, who is played by Brandon Flynn, has such incredible good looks that everyone who sees his face dies. Everyone, that is, except for his parents, who are somehow immune to his lethal appearance. Desperate to protect him and everyone else, they have moved to small town Massachusetts, where he home schools and does cross stitch in his spare time. Any encounter with people necessitates wrapping his face in gauze bandages to shield everyone from his killer countenance,

The only social interaction the reclusive teen enjoys is hanging out and playing video games with his best friend, Dan (Ki Hong Lee), who is convinced that Max needs to meet girls. Dan maneuvers Max into a dinner date, which goes so badly that Max winds up on the edge of a bridge, hoping to end it all. And then he meets Alex (Julia Goldani Telles). Alex matter-of-factly gets him off the bridge, introduces him to elderly friends at the senior’s home, and sits with him (fully clothed) in a bathtub full of candy while they share their life stories. Max finds himself falling in love with her, but Alex has a secret that she’s not prepared to share…

Looks That Kill is a strange combination of dark comedy and teen weepy romance. It has a wry, tongue-in-cheek tone and goes for dry humor over uproarious laughter. Or at least it tries to – the jokes don’t always land and the movie’s mood often feels forced. I’m a big fan of quirky, dark comedies, but this one often feels more awkward than funny. And that awkwardness doesn’t mesh well with the sicky/weepy teen romantic drama that makes up the plot. Trying to blend a sardonic comedy and a touching romance disproves the “opposites attract” adage – putting these two together simply creates tonal confusion.

The movie’s schizophrenic vibe is less likely to concern parents than is the content. There are three dozen profanities and some crude sexual comments as well as scenes of teens smoking and getting drunk. But the biggest concern for parents will be the plot’s full-throated endorsement of euthanasia. Max is encouraged on more than one occasion to use his face to provide a quick, happy ending for people who are terminally ill. The film romanticizes “mercy killings” without bothering to examine palliative care, hospices, or any other options for dying patients. Whether you see assisted dying as a merciful end to suffering or an arrogant exercise in playing God, you will likely be annoyed by the story’s cavalier treatment of such a complex and emotionally charged issue. It’s certainly a poor introduction to the issue for younger viewers who would benefit from a discussion of multiple perspectives and an acknowledgment of the moral and ethical complexities involved.

Looks That Kill isn’t unrelievedly bad – it contains positive messages about seeing people as they really are, accepting yourself, and facing adversity with courage and humor. The young actors are vulnerable and charming and do their best to sell the story, unsatisfying as it is. Sadly, this movie might look good on the surface, but it’s not worth killing an hour and a half to watch.