THE LOVED ONES (2009)

With special guest Gina Gionfriddo

Intro, Math Club, and Debate Society (spoiler-free) 0:00-21:20
Honor Roll and Detention (spoiler-heavy) 21:21-1:03:20
Superlatives (so. many. spoilers.) 1:03:21-1:22:56

Director Sean Byrne
Screenplay Sean Byrne
Featuring John Brumpton, Robin McLeavy, Jessica McNamee, Xavier Samuel, Anne Scott-Pendlebury, Victoria Thaine, Richard Wilson

Opened November 10, 2010 (Australia)
Budget $4 million
Box office:  $358,399 worldwide

SPOILER-FREE SYNOPSIS

Lola Stone wants to go to prom with Brent, the school hottie, but he’s already going with his girlfriend Holly.  So Lola does what any jilted high schooler would do:  she and her father kidnap Brent, tie him to a chair, and proceed to torture him in excruciating ways -- all while hiding a long-buried secret concerning the disappearance of several of their towns' residents.

SPOILER-FREE GUEST BIO

Gina Gionfriddo is a playwright and television writer. She is a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for her plays, Becky Shaw, and Rapture, Blister, Burn. Her other plays include After Ashley (Obie Award), U.S. Drag (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize) and Can You Forgive Her? She has written for the television dramas “The Alienist,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Cold Case,” “Borgia,” “House of Cards” and three incarnations of “Law & Order.” Favorite recess snacks: Nilla Wafers and milk.

EPISODE NOTES

Music from “The Loved Ones” by Ollie Olsen. To hear Eric’s May 2012 interview with Gina regarding her play Rapture, Blister, Burn, click here.

ORIGINAL MINI-DOC PARTS 1 AND 2

TRAILER

SUPERLATIVES

The Gaspar Noe Award for Most Disturbing Scene
Gina Lola’s hatred of Bright Eyes
Eric: Lola and Daddy drill into Brent’s head
Bradford: Lola and Daddy’s “prom” dance

The Ellen Ripley Award for Character Who Most Deserves to Live (but Doesn’t)
Gina: The two good Dads (Brent’s and Mia’s)
Eric: Bright Eyes
Bradford: Brent’s dad

The Michael Myers Award for Character Who Most Deserves to Die (and Does)
Gina: Lola
Eric: Lola
Bradford: Lola

The Ken Russell Award for Most Baroque Screen Moment
Gina: The boys in the pit feast on Lola’s dad
Eric: Lola, hurt but still crawling, coming after Brent and Holly in the car
Bradford: Holly finds the love note left or her in Brent’s bedroom

The Brad Dourif Award for Character Who Could Have Been Played by Brad Dourif
Gina: “The King of the Basement Boys”
Eric: Daddy Stone
Bradford: Daddy Stone

FINAL LETTER GRADE

Gina: C
Eric: C
Bradford: B