‘The Mold knows Jack, The Mold knows.’
Motivational Growth is a 2013 independent comedy horror film written, edited and directed by Don Thacker. It stars Jeffrey Combs (as the voice of The Mold), Adrian DiGiovanni, Danielle Doetsch, Pete Giovagnoli, Ken Brown, Robert Kramer, Hannah Stevenson, Laura Carlson.
Plot teaser:
Ian Folivor, a depressed and reclusive 30-something, finds himself taking advice from a growth in his bathroom after a failed suicide attempt. The Mold, a smooth talking fungus who was born of the filth collecting in a corner of Ian’s neglected bathroom, works to win Ian’s trust by helping him clean himself up and remodel his lifestyle. With The Mold’s help, Ian attracts the attention of a neighbour he’s been ogling through his peephole, Leah, and he manages to find a slice of happiness despite his unnatural circumstances. But Ian starts to receive strange messages from his old and broken down TV set that make him realize that The Mold may not be as helpful as it seems to be, and strange characters combined with stranger events cast Ian’s life in the shadow of an epic battle between good and evil that Ian is only partially aware of…
Buy/Rent Blu-ray | Instant Video from Amazon.com
Reviews:
“Writer/director Don Thacker makes this film work on so many levels. First, he tries many different techniques to make the story interesting and succeeds. Ian breaks the fourth wall with the audience early on and teaches a lesson on how little things become significant when one is depressed and lives alone. Next, Thacker moves the story forward through the use of animation (splendidly created by Jérémie Périn) and by inserting Ian into the very television programs he has been hooked on watching. Finally, the camera is utilized to make the most of a cramped and cluttered apartment.” Namtar, Nuke the Fridge
“The fact that 90% of this film takes place with a guy talking to the camera on his couch, all the while maintaining a creative, interesting, and intelligent edge all the way through, is a testament as to how great Motivational Growth truly is. The alternating dark and light tones give this film a unique texture, never really letting on as to where it will go next. Sure to poke, prod, and play with your brain in ways normal cinema does not, Motivational Growth is unlike anything you’ve seen before.” Ambush Bug, Ain’t It Cool News
“It’s set in the 1990s, uses chiptunes by Alex Mauer for a soundtrack that sound straight out of a video game, and even has 8-bit video game style cutscenes for certain scenes that add even more character to the film. What’s even more interesting is the film’s budget, and what Thacker was able to do with it. Shot for just over $176K, the limited number of effects that Thacker was able to pull off were quite impressive. As far as the gore goes, there isn’t too much going on, but there are more gross-out moments than gore, such as Ian eating fungus, vomiting various types of goo, rotted dead bodies and more.” Pat Torfe, Bloody Disgusting
IMDb | Official site | Facebook
