What if I told you that at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, I got a chance to witness one of the weirdest, wildest, campy horror comedies? Would you believe me if I shared that said film is equal parts Frankenstein riff and trenchant horniness? Grace Glowicki’s sophomore feature, Dead Lover, is about loneliness and longing for love. Exploring these common themes through a whimsical setting and with exaggerated tones, the film will hold your attention from beginning to end. Say what you will about its execution, but conceptually, Dead Lover is as wild and creative as it gets.

Glowicki wrote, directed, and starred in Dead Lover. Her character is Gravedigger. Spending her days burying the dead has led to a perpetual loneliness that she seeks to eliminate by finding a lover. Unfortunately, that proves to be challenging as a result of a wickedly foul stench she’s picked up from the job. No one can bear to come close enough to even get to know her. Dejected from constant rejection, she spends her evenings praying to the full moon for relief.

One fine evening, Gravedigger meets Lover (Ben Petrie) at his sister’s funeral and after listening to his eulogy. When a cute moment occurs between the two, sparks begin to fly. In a miraculous change of events, Lover seems to not only be immune to Gravedigger’s stench, but he’s also aroused by it. Convinced that the moon has heard her desires, Gravedigger begins a passionate love affair with him. The void that once consumed her heart has now been filled by an overwhelming desire to start a family with Lover.

Dead Lover is here to fill your loneliness with laughter, shock, and awe.

Glowicki’s feature takes a turn when Lover disappears into the night and leaves a note behind proclaiming his fertility issues. Only an experimental fertility clinic can help him to keep their dreams of starting a family alive. This is where the film truly takes off on its quirkiness, promising a strange yet delightfully twisted journey to come. I won’t dare spoil what happens next, but it is important to note that it triggers a series of events that lead to utter mayhem. Just know that Gravedigger will do absolutely anything for love.

When it comes to delivering a film of this nature, it’s almost a requirement to make it as memorable as possible. One of the ways Glowicki kept up the entertainment is through her dialogue. While most of the jokes are hit or miss (depending on your humor style), it’s guaranteed to leave a lasting impression one way or another. Lines like “I want to pick up a piece of your poo and eat it like a banana” to intently poke fun at the crazed passion from Lover certainly get the job done. This isn’t a film to take too seriously, but there’s no crime in having tons of fun with it along the way.

The film’s creative aesthetic leaves room to appreciate the committed performances.

Dead Lover may not be the horror comedy you’d expect, but it’s definitely one that will spark intrigue, generate laughter, and maybe even provide you with an appreciation for in-studio filmmaking. After all, Glowicki and company shot the film at a Canadian soundstage to maintain a minimalist aesthetic with black-box theater vibes. To capture the emotional state of the characters, they are often spotlit while darkness flows around them. And to counterbalance the depressive setting, there are often splashes of radiant color.

The technical achievements aren’t the only noteworthy components of the film. Given the mayhem that occurs on screen, you have to give it to the cast and crew for their performances. There’s a level of commitment here that may seem farfetched for us to wrap our heads around, but the cast remained fully focused on delivering the goods. Specifically, I commend Grace Glowicki on keeping her energy from beginning to end. From the exaggerated vocal intonations to the hilarious facial expressions and line deliveries, it truly seems as if she had a blast making this film.

This isn’t a film to take too seriously, but there’s no crime in having tons of fun with it along the way.

Ultimately, it’s up to you, the viewer, to determine how much dirty, raunchy, grimy, ridiculousness you can handle. Truth be told, there were a number of walkouts during my screening at Sundance. If you stick with Dead Lover long enough, however, there’s much to appreciate about it. Just try not to take anything that happens on screen too seriously. Because while it’s clear Glowicki wants you to ponder on the impacts of being alone for too long, I think it’s more important to take the film for what it is: damn good entertainment.