Good afternoon, House of Madness residents:
Have you ever wished you could be somebody else? I'm not talking about morphing into Mr. Smith down the street so you can take his '69 Corvette for a rip, I mean wanting to take over someone else's life on a permanent basis. Sure, the obvious choices of celebrities or sports stars would be a popular go-to, but if you could just live someone else's life for a change of pace, would you consider it? Asa Waite (Judah Lewis) may not be a willing participant in his father's little cursed game of 'musical bodies', but such is life, whether it's his or someone else's.
Dr. Beth Derby (Heather Graham) is a psychiatrist busy working another mundane day with a client, when she encounters Asa Waite at the conclusion of one of her sessions. Not only is she intrigued by the young man's story, but finds herself almost obsessed with him as she arrives home from work, unable to think of anyone or anything else. This is just the beginning of a twisted obsession the two will share, only Dr. Derby has no idea where it's heading. Soon, a bizarre sexual relationship manifests itself between Asa and Beth, and we're left wondering if maybe this film is a long lost shelved episode of 'The Red Shoe Diaries', but alas, David Duchovny is nowhere to be seen. As the two grow closer and there's way more bangage, we're still left with the little mystery of why this entity is interested in switching between bodies, but unfortunately a proper solution is never given. Enter Dr. Upton (Barbara Crampton) to tie up all the loose ends and give the story some meaning, right? Wrong. The entire film I was obviously curious as to what was fueling this entity's desires and why, but each time it appears an answer is on the horizon, one never comes and we're left with more questions than answers.
"Suitable Flesh" is a very bizarre ride into a realm of 'what could have beens' with endless possibilities, yet inevitably chose to stick to its formula of 'less is more' when it comes to a backstory. I am admittedly a massive Joe Lynch fan, so while I'm not saying it's a bad film (because it isn't), I guess I'm just saying I was expecting more, and that's on me rather than Mr. Lynch, as he's earned the respect of having high expectations. Perhaps I'd have been better served watching this film from another body, where I could have been neutral and less judgmental, but I guess I'll have to wait until next time, when there might be the possibility of some more suitable flesh.
Madness Meter: 5.7/10
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