“We Kill for Love” (2023) [Overlook Film Festival]

by Joseph Perry

Normally here at “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict”, both Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. However, here and there they will be taking the reins in a solo outing. For this installment, it’s Joseph with a solo review of We Kill for Love, a documentary about the rise and fall of erotic thriller movies.

Synopsis

Director Anthony Penta takes a deep dive into the origins, heyday, and downfall of the once-mighty erotic thriller genre that at one time was a strong presence on cable television and video store shelves.

The Good

From the 1980s through the early 2000s, erotic thrillers were a popular and often profitable form of movie entertainment. Video store shelves were filled with releases featuring titles and plots riffing on box office hit Fatal Attraction, and just as many of the genre’s entries were featured on Showtime, Cinemax, The Playboy Channel, and so on. Penta interviews many people who were in front of the camera — often in various states of undress — and behind the scenes. He examines the seminal film noir movement and some of Alfred Hitchock’s classics and their influences on erotic thrillers. He also examines why the genre has all but died out. We Kill for Love is an intellectual valentine to erotic thrillers.

The Bad

In 163 minutes, Penta covers a lot of ground. Rather than deeply addressing a few subjects and stand-out titles, he introduces a great number of both, with some feeling somewhat wanting for more detail. The time used for chapter-introduction scenes featuring Michael Reed as The Archivist, though well written and performed, might have been better served providing some more finely focused information.

The Verdict

My litmus test for a documentary that explores a particular film genre or subgenre is how many must-see or must-rewatch film titles I write down during my viewing, whether I am new to the style of film or a big fan of it. Admittedly, I never got into the erotic thriller genre when it was red hot, nor since, and although We Kill for Love was an interesting watch, the only film I found striking enough to take note of was Diversion, the 1980 short on which Fatal Attraction was based.

I recommend We Kill for Love to fans of the genre, obviously, and to those interested in general film study or with a focus on 1980s through early 2000s movies.