Film Review: Renfield

Look, having the one and only Nicolas Cage playing Dracula is already a pretty noteworthy cinematic event, so it’s not like there’s much Renfield will have to do to win me over. Thankfully, the film itself is solid enough overall, and that’s largely due to the committed performances from its two leads. Cage being one, and the other being his “familiar,” the titular Robert Montague Renfield, played by the always fearless Nicholas Hoult. The premise is a strong one. Having attended a support group for people with codependency issues, Renfield begins to see himself in a new light, especially in terms of his dynamic with the abusive and narcissistic Dracula.

It’s perfect timing for a take like this. Now more than ever, people are becoming aware of issues surrounding mental health, the various harmful dynamics in relationships that can manifest out of trauma or some general flaw. Introspection is very much in. And it’s a trend that fits surprisingly well in exploring the relationship between Renfield and Dracula, utilizing common and mundane terminology that plays as an amusing contrast to…you know…the fact that we’re talking about Dracula. And for the most part, the film explores this area really well, and the filmmaking does a good job in reflecting on Renfield’s state of mind. Like one scene taking place in his vibrant new apartment that slowly becomes more desaturated as Dracula confronts him and makes him feel small.

Now, the film isn’t just about this relationship, there is an added element to the plot that involves a powerful crime family in New Orleans, led by Ella (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Her buffoonish son, Teddy (Ben Schwartz) is the target of Officer Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), a traffic cop whose father was killed under Ella and Teddy’s command, but she is powerless to do anything given the corruption in the force. It isn’t until she comes across Renfield that their paths start to intertwine in some truly unexpected ways.

The film is often quite amusing, largely due to the delivery by the performers. Occasionally, there will be a genuinely clever line or moment, but most of it relies on execution. Unfortunately, one of the big problems of the film is the subplot with Officer Quincy, which feels like the movie changing channels to something completely different. The cop storyline is very hokey, has the least amount of jokes, and Awkwafina struggles to sell the emotional beats that her plot thread asks of her. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if an early version of this script either didn’t have her character or if she was originally a basic love interest with not much to do. You can really feel the script punch-ups here.

After years of experience working on Robot Chicken and directing The LEGO Batman Movie, Chris McKay has developed really strong comedic instincts, and his sensibilities do give even the most lackluster gags on paper really pop when shown on screen. I also enjoy the visual style he brought here, from the homage to 1931’s Dracula to the gory action scenes, which feature blood splatter that looks like it’s made from the syrup in Fruit Gushers, to the portrayal of New Orleans, which weirdly enough, reminded me a bit of Joel Schumacher’s neon-drenched version of Gotham in his Batman movies. Marco Beltrami’s score is also quite strong as well, really having fun with the horror influences.

There is fun to be had in Renfield, but the experience will be a bit uneven. Whenever the film shifts attention away from either of Hollywood’s two best Nics, the momentum really grinds to a halt. But when things do ramp up, especially with the action, it is a bloody good time. You can definitely feel Robert Kirkman’s touches (he came up with the story). I wouldn’t call it a great film. As much as I did find myself chuckling, I often thought certain jokes in Ryan Ridley’s screenplay could have been funnier, or more directly tied with the characters in order to make their arcs a bit more meaningful. But it’s still nice to see a studio comedy that doesn’t look like a sitcom or feel like two actors doing an improv riff for an insufferable amount of time, there’s effort and ambition here, with excellent work from the second unit and stunt teams especially. That goes a long way for me, so I’d say Renfield is an overall solid piece of horror-comedy filmmaking with pieces that shine even if the whole doesn’t come together quite as strong.

Renfield is now out in theaters.