SummaryThis film seeks to recast a modern symbol of evil as a man driven by very real weaknesses and needs and, in so doing, to broaden our sense of what it is to be human. (Peninsula Films)
Directed By:David Jacobson
Written By:David Jacobson, David Birke
Dahmer
Metascore
Generally Favorable
63
User score
Generally Favorable
6.5
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
63
56% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
39% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
6% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
100
It's a triumph of the film that it manages to make Jeffrey Dahmer a human being -- at least a member of the species -- without ever bending toward empathy with or excuses for him.
80
Uses the serial killer's life as the starting point for a hypnotic examination of the farthest reaches of loneliness and alienation.
75
The performances are excellent and the filmmaking is remarkably restrained, although moments of perverse violence are necessary to the real-life story being told.
67
The whole of it plays like a dark and dreary tone poem, only marginally interested in explaining the ticking, bloody clockwork of the inner beast and only occasionally touching on his fractured humanity.
60
Star Jeremy Renner seems shorter than Dahmer, but is otherwise a look-alike and gives a convincingly intense and weird performance. Bruce Davison (as Papa Dahmer) and the rest of the cast also do nice work.
50
It succeeds, occasionally.
25
So lacking in insight and gravity that it makes Dahmer seem like a pesky, pasty-faced loser who just wasn't popular enough.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.5
55% Positive
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
20% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
25% Negative
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
Jul 7, 2013
10
The ambiance and setting of the film was well and carefully directed, actors are well chosen and they did an outstanding performance. This film offers a mood that you'll never forget.
Oct 20, 2013
3
Naturally after Gacy, I had to move on and watch Dahmer, it was just one of those nights. Unlike the Gacy film, Dahmer was more typical of what you see from these types of movies. Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes may have been just as shocking as Gacy's, but Dahmer was of a completely different personality, one that doesn't really equate to film. Unlike Gacy, Dahmer was really shy and introverted, avoiding interacting with people that he wasn't planning on killing. The movie version of Dahmer's was honestly as boring as a Horror film could get. Much of it shows Dahmer alone in his apartment, torturing his victims, and much of the time, there isn't even any dialog! Jeremy Renner stars and does as good of a job as someone can do with a role like this, but to be completely honest I found this film to be nothing but boring. Even the graphic scenes the film portrays in order to shock you, don't really cut it. Dahmer may have been just as deranged as Gacy, but the two men were very different. Gacy's film was interesting, Dahmer's put me to sleep. Dahmer is one movie you can most definitely avoid watching.
