Devil's Workshop
“Devil’s Workshop” ain’t necessarily this critic's bag, but it’s far from a drag.
Film Yap is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
“Devil’s Workshop” (now in select theaters and available on VOD) is the latest horror offering from genre filmmaker Chris von Hoffmann (“Monster Party” and the “Ephebiphobia” segment of the anthology film “Phobias”). It differs from von Hoffmann’s previous efforts in that it’s not quite as steeped in gore and serves more directly as a piece of Tinseltown satire. It’s “A Nightmare on Sunset Boulevard” if you will.
Clayton (Timothy Granaderos, late of the Shudder original “Who Invited Them”) is a struggling actor who’s been looking for his big break for going on 15 years. He just got cut from his episode of “NCIS” or “NICS” as his Grandma calls it via telephone call.
Clayton’s taking an acting class alongside the much more successful Donald (Emile Hirsch). Both he and Donald are up for a role as a demonologist in a promising upcoming film. To give himself the edge, Clayton reaches out to real-life demonologist Eliza (Radha Mitchell), with whom he spends a fateful weekend in her secluded home.
“Devil’s Workshop” works best as a performative piece and an exercise in building tension.
I wasn’t familiar with Granaderos coming into the film, but was impressed by the bravery he displayed in baring his skin and soul as Clayton. The dude comes across like a strange combination of actors Frank Grillo and Dylan O’Brien. (Fun Fact: Granaderos graduated from Portage Northern High School in Portage, Mich. The same school my wife’s aunt and one of her cousins attended.)
Hirsch is delightfully douche-y as Donald – a dude who’s far more sizzle than he is steak. Donald coasts by not on talent but in his ability to work a room and pimp himself on the socials.
Mitchell, who’s made a career out of playing heroines or the spouse of a movie’s main male hero, plays against type as Eliza. The role requires the actress to go further than skip-deep and she maintains a creepy chemistry with Granaderos that alternates between maternal and sexual.
“Devil’s Workshop” is only 86 minutes, but it’s a slow burn that culminates with a crazy conclusion. The movie’s best scene finds a boozed and drugged-up Donald interrogating Sarah Coffey’s Nikki while Brooke Ramirez’s Petra watches on mortified as “research.” The moment works not only because of the actors’ performances, but because the viewer has no idea where it’s going to go next. This trend is also indicative of the flick as a whole. The picture also boasts the year’s best/creepiest sex scene this side of “X,” so it’s got that going for it.
“Devil’s Workshop” ain’t necessarily my bag, but it’s far from a drag.