I don’t even know where to start with The Greasy Strangler. It’s a movie that defies traditional cinematic definition and completely hits you out of nowhere time and time again with its deranged sense of humor and completely trash-tastic sensibilities. In a nutshell, The Greasy Strangler feels like Troma made an episode of the Tim and Eric Awesome Show and it’s a must-see experience for anyone who relishes perverse absurdism—and lots and lots of grease too, of course.
The Greasy Strangler follows Brayden (Sky Elobar) and his dad, Ronnie (Michael St. Michaels), who run a walking disco tour in Los Angeles and find themselves at a crossroads when they both fall for the same woman, Janet (Elizabeth De Razzo), who takes their tour and immediately connects with Brayden. There’s also a killer on the loose, known as “The Greasy Strangler”, who Brayden suspects is his dad due to his affinity for grease and various oil products. Brayden tosses his suspicions aside to focus his attention on his lady love Janet, but as their oddball romance blooms, Ronnie gets jealous and “The Greasy Strangler” starts claiming victims that hit just a little too close to home for Brayden.
If you’re someone easily offended, The Greasy Strangler probably won’t be the movie for you. First-time filmmaker Jim Hosking relentlessly throws in all kinds of oddball jokes and visual cues revolving around grease, gas, genitals, short shorts, disco dancing, and so much more. Where many films may use nudity as a way to shock viewers, the insane amount of genitals on display in The Greasy Strangler ends up being the least shocking aspect of the movie in the grand scheme of things, and you can only help but appreciate that Hosking never plays it safe as a storyteller.
But what keeps Greasy Strangler from just being one gross-out joke after another is the fact that Hosking creates a charming father/son tale that centers the film with a sense of emotional resonance while exploring the difficulties we all have with either our parents or our offspring. Ronnie is always threatening to evict Brayden and yet, you can tell by his face that he’d be lost if his son actually ever did take the leap towards becoming independent, and vice versa when it comes to Brayden's devotion to his dad. Their relationship hits an entirely new level (one that may not make a lick of sense, but honestly, I think that’s okay) in such an unexpected way by the finale that you can’t help but root for them and their ever-challenging relationship.
Certainly not a film for everyone, I can’t help but admire The Greasy Strangler for just simply existing, as we need more movies like it to keep pushing the envelope and reinvigorating the cult cinema landscape. Regardless of how some may end up feeling about the film and its often depraved sense of humor, I enjoyed all the charms Hosking weaves into his unusual story, and I look forward to seeing what he does next as a filmmaker.
Movie Score: 3.5/5
Heather A. Wixson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, until she followed her dreams and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. A 14-year veteran in the world of horror entertainment journalism, Wixson fell in love with genre films at a very early age, and has spent more than a decade as a writer and supporter of preserving the history of horror and science fiction cinema. Throughout her career, Wixson has contributed to several notable websites, including Fangoria, Dread Central, Terror Tube, and FEARnet, and she currently serves as the Managing Editor for Daily Dead, which has been her home since 2013. She's also written for both Fangoria Magazine & ReMind Magazine, and her latest book project, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume One will be released on October 20, 2021.
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