Posted: 02/15/2008

In the Blood

(2007)

by Sawyer J. Lahr

Nose Bleeds and Psychic Premonitions

Ever had a bloody nose in your sleep or while you were awake? Having sex with someone? Cassidy (Tyler Hanes), a closeted college prep, resolves to confront his repressed homosexuality in order to tap into his inherited supernatural powers and save his vulnerable freshman sister, Jessica (James Katharine Flynn), from the campus predator.

A strain of murderous rapes have occurred on the NYC College campus, and the dean interviews pretty blond white young women to warn them of their endangerment.

The criminal has a particular type he lures into his cave. He strategically circulates fear among the naive student body as an opportunity to exploit his blood thirsty Barbie Doll sex fantasy.

As a close acquaintance of Cassidy, Michael (Robert Dionne), seems more and more suspect as he seduces Jessica, first, by joining the quiz bowl with her. When he can no longer keep up the platonic charade, his hands go astray, and he acts on his attraction. Jessica is na•ve to think this womanizer who desperately tries to impress her by reciting poetry on their first official date would treat her as any more than disposable, but he is hardly a serial killer.

Cassidy thinks differently, though, so acts rashly to a fault just as he may have enamored an experienced escort, Victor (Carlos Alberto Valencia). Yet, Cassidy’s multi-dimensional character is more than his sexuality, apart from which he has proportionately larger crises, a self-fulfilling prophecy and a twisted fate.

In the Blood is a refreshing departure from coming of age dramas, conversion romances, and parodies. More gay themed films continue to break these conventions of queer film as they tell more broadly thematic and ever more compelling stories.

Sawyer J. Lahr is a writer and film critic living in Chicago.

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