Welcome back to another Quality check. To avoid potentially landing the same audio description team as before, I’m jumping into Your Monster, which I literally know nothing about. The only thing I just learned, because I just checked iMDB to make sure it was Your and not You’re, is that it stars Melissa Barrera, seen earlier in 2024 in Abigail. You know how this goes, it’s gonna be a long post, and less of a review of the film than a stream of consciousness as I react to the audio description. I’m assuming this is a horror title, but I’m hoping for horror comedy.
After a few logos, we get a note that titles appear, and Based On A True Story pops up. Then, “ish”. In my experience, nearly every film that claims to be Based or inspired… is “ish”. Just an aside.A raven haired 30-something in a wheelchair. Not a bad starter description. She’s also mean mugging for us, so I know her hair, her age range, she’s not happy, and possibly wheelchair bound. Then some cast names. Melissa is the only one I recognize. Laura is the main girl, and she has a ginger friend named Maisie. Next up is a bed scene, with a sandy haired man.Now, we have another memory where she’s making a note on some sheet music. I guess we’re flashing back through her life. In more memories, Laura rides a gurney. Her chest cavity is scanned, and she seems to have a slimy doctor. Got it. Her doctor looks like it’s bad news, and then we see her in another bed, with her sandy partner throwing down a newspaper. Her boyfriend needs time for him. Not the problem of the audio description, but I would opt in for dialog boost right now, because Put On A Happy Face is obliterating this dialog. Sandy haired boy is Jacob, and he’s out of here! There was a little break of no dialogue, I feel like we could have had some more audio description, especially for Laura’s reaction. But, we jump to her struggling with the IV pole, and some help in another memory.She cries out Jacob, but Put On A Happy Face is so fucking loud it sounds like she’s whisper screaming.
Now, the title, and director.
Gentle clouds rest above skyscrapers. Gentle? Like, do you mean not-stormy? Are there aggressive clouds. Do they bump into other clouds and if you listen carefully you can hear a cloud in a New Yorker accent say “Hey, I’m floating here!” To the aggressive cloud. I might have gone with puffy, but I suppose gentle is fine. odd, but fine.
Laura’s friend trudges into a brownstone. Solid description. I’m assuming this is Maisie from earlier? Does Laura have more friends? Laura follows her in, and we get that she’s hanging a P-Coat, and has on a checkered skirt. We don’t really know the interior of the brownstone yet, but so far, the audio description is killing it.Oh, and a patterned knit sweater. love that. She’s gazing up a staircase, which establishes the brownstone has a second floor. Though, most do.
The kitchen peninsula. So, not an island, but this kitchen is super fancy and has a peninsula. I’m trying to picture what a kitchen peninsula looks like. But, that’s a me thing.
LOL. Her friend says she’s gonna be with Laura every second of every minute, then immediately bails and says she’ll call tomorrow. ha.
Coming up is a montage, where she flops on a bed, stabs some pies, clings to a teddy bear, changes bandages, and answers the front door. She orders more tissues so she can cry more, lol. Then she is holding clothes, and gets another delivery, reads a book, she tries hugging a delivery guy. then she sits at a piano, which triggers a flashback.
Of course, it is her and Jacob. We learn Broadway is her dream. Back in the present, there’s a flickering lamp. Oh, she’s wearing glasses. OK. Laura hears something upstairs. We cut ahead to her sleeping on the couch, so i guess she just said screw the second half of this house. Her friend is back.
She goes for a walk. where? Literally… where? Just anywhere? A park? City streets? they’re deep in conversation, and I have no real idea where they are. Just… outside. Theoretically.
Maisie has a muffin though. She bails again for karate. Then Laura, who it has been established, is in some form of dealing with cancer, goes to a doctor’s office for a blood draw.
At night, back home (her mother’s place), she’s lying on the floor. Again, screw upstairs. There’s a storm, which you can hear, but the AD hasn’t mentioned. She grabs her phone, which has a Lock Screen of her and Jacob. Because of course. She decides to text Jacob about still wanting to do the show, asking to not have it taken away from her. Girl, you have cancer, and he bailed. Have you seen Waiting To Exhale? Did you listen to the song Bust The Windows? I’m not sure if that is the name, but I know that Carrie Underwood made sure a man her last name as she took a Louisville slugger to both headlights. Get the picture, Laura?
Of course, Captain Super Douche isn’t responding, so I can only assume this movie ends with Laura consuming his soul. definitely hate Jacob.
Later, she accidentally video calls him. He still doesn’t pick up. There’s an emergency alert on her phone, but we don’t know for what, and she doesn’t seem to care. probably an Amber Alert, but that’s a different movie with a different cast. Something is upstairs, and she’s heading for the sound agin… calling out to it. She looks in her bedroom….
Laura goes into her closet, so we know she has a walk in. She finds a mouse. The light fails her, and some clothes are moving. She finds a monster. The monster seems chill though. He’s hairy, not a great intro description, but he does greet her with a what’s up that feels reminiscent of beetlejuice. I’m assuming this is a horror comedy.
She trips and falls, and wakes up later to music playing, and a hot cup of tea next to her. An array of lamps casts a warm glow around the room. how many lamps does this girl have? An array? Is she a lamp hoarder?
The monster, of course, made the tea, and is dressed in shabby layered clothes. he seems chill though. Laura, on the other hand, is freaking out. the monster has apparently been living here her whole life, and is sad that she doesn’t remember seeing him as a kid, but he knows a lot about her,which triggers a memory of a music theater kid named Benji. Benji was a dick, and got attacked for it by the monster. Maybe the Monster will go kick Jacob’s ass. The monster wants her to leave, because he doesn’t do roommates. Laura freaks out and starts to cry again. He gives her two weeks instead. He also warns her not to tell anyone about him.
She is sleeping upstairs and the monster scares her. Then it is basically a montage of this odd couple living together. Lots happened, from vacuuming, to complaining about music, and temperature control. Laura eats Chinese takeout in the entertainment room while watching an old movie. Monster comes in to look for something to read. There’s a doll figurine. They argue over sesame chicken. He eats more Chinese food. He sees a horror movie on TV and thinks it is a documentary. LOL.
The movie ends, and the Monster is clutching a pillow crying. Laura brushes her teeth. The monster appears behind her. She’s preparing to show up at an audition for Jacob’s musical. the monster offers to eat Jacob. He has the right idea.
At the audition, The guy recognizes her, wasn’t going to let her in, but apparently she was really good in the workshop. A curly haired woman looks past Scotty and spots Jackie. Who are these people? Jacob’s grin evaporates as Laura takes the stage. She cues the pianist. She’s struggling. There’s a bearded judge eating during her audition. I would never. Fuck that guy. I’ve been behind tables before.
Back at home, Laura tells Monster that she tanked her audition. She did. IMO. The monster can act and sing. They grab some alcohol, she drinks, he eats the glass. LOL. the Monster does a monolog.
Through the lenses of her reading glasses she studies him. nice. I love that I never know if she’s wearing glasses until they are mentioned. Laura answers her phone. it’s Jacob. Jackie got the part she wanted, but he does offer her understudy and ensemble. Monster snacks from an open box… of what? he sniffs the food, but we don’t know what it is? boxed food.
Monster breaks some dinner plates. Laura freaks out at first. he teaches her to let her rage out by breaking plates. I mean, he doesn’t use them… so who cares, right? Then a food fight happens. It’s been two weeks. Laura heads to pack, but Monster wants her to stay. These two are definitely having sex by the end of the film.
Next scene is at play rehearsal. Laura runs into Jackie. Maisie is here too. Jacob says this piece is a love letter to women, but he’s a dick, so it can’t be that good of a love letter. Jacob announces Jackie who is playing Laurie (because the character is clearly based off of Laura). Laura has the whole show memorized. Jacob keeps checking out Laura. We learn a Halloween party is coming up, which sounds like a great way for Monster to get out of the house and eat Jacob. Laura tries to talk to Jacob, but Jackie cuts in. Maisie dips with Laura to steal some costumes for the party. She’s probably got a karate class to leave for in a hot second.
at home, Laura is in pajamas. She chats with Monster. She invites him to a Halloween party. He doesn’t want to go. She’s dressing as a suffragette, when she chooses a white sequenced gown instead. She does that slow stair descent thing they do in movies, and Monster is at the bottom just falling in love with her. It is that scene from most romcoms. Especially ones involving prom. She leaves, he stays.
At the party, Don is a Mummy. Don sheepishly is rebuffed by Laura, who sees Jacob dressed as a Medieval king. I’m loving the costumes. Jacob loves her costume, and Jackie shows up in a costume. Jacob seems torn between the two. Jacob and Jackie grabbed a bite before. Laura starts getting drunk. So does everyone else. Maisie and Laura hang while Jacob is continuing to hang with Jackie. Laura is going to have alcohol poisoning by the end of the night.
Then, Monster shows up.She is really happy to see him. How does he not have a name this far into the movie? They start slow dancing. There could be more description here, but there’s some dance description here. Just lots of dead air where the music plays.
I did love the part where he slides his hand into the small of her back. Like, some of the specifics are great. They touch their heads together. Their lips are close, but no kiss yet. Monster asks her if she wants to leave, and she does, but then she sees Jacob. She’s got to let this as hat go. Jacob is found with a woman in a compromising position, and Monster joins her. He moves in on Jacob. Jacob falls through a trap door.
Laura is worried Jacob saw him. She’s worried about him, and she wonders why Monster would do that to her, and he has to explain it all to her. You had cancer, and he bailed. Monster vocalizes all the internal thoughts I’ve had. He tries to ungaslight her. I have no idea where they are. every time people walk outside in this movie, they could literally be anywhere.
Laura finally kisses Monster, and they make out back at the brownstone. He has large pointed canines. Her dress hangs from the ceiling, and we start into a sex scene, but we also cut to the next morning. Monster is killing it on the piano. Monster sings Donny Hathaway’s Song For You. Then, she joins in, and her singing is much better here than her audition. A montage begins of them doing couple stuff, while Laura continues to rehearse the show and mad mugging Jacob. Lots of Jacob and Jackie, but Laura seems to be getting more into Monster. she even doodles a picture of him while at rehearsal. I still feel like I only kinda know what he looks like.
Laura gets more blood drawn. Jackie had a conversation with a random cast member that reveals she had no idea Jacob and Laura were dating, or that the role was written for her. Doesn’t stop her from going on stage though. Jacob has some tough direction for Jackie. He keeps cutting in, and Laura stands up for Jackie. Laura stands up to Jacob in front of everyone. Laura really is going at him. Love this scene. Laura goes off, triggering a break.
Laura calls out Maisie for being a shitty friend too. Which, she is. She literally bails all the time. Jacob reappears to talk to Laura. Jacob says “it’s hard for me to be around you.” I fucking hate this guy. Lots of dialog in these parts, not a ton of audio description.
“Is the role of Laurie Francis exclusively reserved for the woman you’re fucking?” That’s a good line. Laura is just killing it right now. Somehow, these two kiss. He gets sex out of this. He’s the literal worst. After sex, Jacob tells her she can’t be in the show because she’s a liability. WTF. “Laura sits there with a frozen expression.” She goes home and can’t find Monster, who had prepared a nice romantic evening. She essentially finds Narnia in her closet by walking through rows of clothes. She finds the area where Monster lives.
Monster asks her if everything is OK. She lies. He’s willing to listen. She awkwardly tells him what happened. Monster tells her what she needs to hear. He doesn’t love you, you deserve to be loved. They fight. Again, tons of dialogue, not a lot of description. Laura finally leaves the closet and closes the door.
She cries. She apologizes. But, Monster is gone, returning all the little items he stole over the years.
Laura is at her doctors, who says she’s cancer free. She then goes home, and returns to her bedroom to stare at a prescription bottle, and then knocks more to the floor. Jackie swings by to say Hi. They walk outside again, and I have NO CLUE where anyone is when they walk outside. A park? Street? Hell? Jackie clarifies there was nothing between her and Jacob, and she’s baffled by all the shit she learned. Maisie is the one sleeping with Jacob, because of course. Maisie is trying to explain to Laura, but Laura just zones out. Laura is on stage instead of Jackie. Jackie swapped places with her, and Jacob is stunned.
Her ensemble has an ensemble number that has no harmonies and is totally unison. Jacob is a shitty writer. Not much description during the musical. At the end of the show, the audience loves Laura, but Jacob is furious. Laura asks Jacob about Maisie, but it is all about him and his show. I hope he dies before the end of this. What a waste of a person. Laura warns Jacob. Something happens, she has blood on her, and the show is performing again. What just happened? Is she insane? I’m so lost right now.
Oh, a flashback. Monster appeared and took care of Jacob. And this is another performance. Laura is singing, and in the flashback, Monster did something, but there’s no AD while Laura sings. So who knows what we are seeing. Eventually we hear Monster slashes Jacob’s throat. Jacob is dead on stage as Laura performs. Laura is happy to see Monster again. “I’m your monster.” And that’s the title!
The audience seems confused. Some of the audience says “is this part of the show? I’m so into it.”
Then, we get credits. And, the audio description does seem to be doing a lot of below the line credits. Deluxe
Narrated By Darren Rivets.
And that is a wrap on another Quality Check. For the most part, solid audio description. there were a couple of moments, but 90% of those were constant dialog. that just happens. Sometimes people don’t shut up. A couple of times there was some kind of dead air, and we could have gotten more description. I felt like I didn’t get enough from monster, especially facially. Like, we eventually got teeth, but other than being hairy, I’m not sure what he looked like. was he tall? Taller than Laura? The movie is literally called Your monster, and the audio description for him needed to be a lot stronger. I felt like he could be anything.
Also, seriously, when people are outside… why do we never know where they are? this is New York. There are parks. There’s daytime, and night. Every time it was just some walking, and really underdescribed.
Fun fact. We got a lot of description, but no ethnicities. Barrera is raven haired, Maisie was a ginger, and Jacob had sandy hair. I’m fairly certain, based on her career, barrera is a latina actress. I guess we just decided everyone should live in an ambiguous world, or that we just assume people with ginger and sandy hair are white? What about the Monster? he could be any color. he could be Green. He’s a monster, after all.
but, there were also some really solid moments. Also, Darren did a really nice job narrating. there was a decent amount of clothing. Eventually, I got a solid idea of how the layout of the brownstone was.
As far as the movie itself, my quick movie review thoughts would be that I love Melissa Barrera, and the movie seemed a little obvious as to where we were headed. Still, a decent watch. I’d recommend it.
Movie Grade: B-
Audio Description Grade: B+
Thanks for joining me again. Next up… who knows.
