'Psycho Party Planner' Review: Lifetime's murder-thriller loses the plot so badly that it makes you laugh
There are good films. There are bad films. And there are bad ones that are so bad, that they're good. And Lifetime's 'Psycho Party Planner' falls into a forgettable gap between the last two categories. As the title suggests, the film has the subtlety of a blunt axe.
Let's get to it. In the opening sequence, Lindy Shores is upset that she can't have a child. A consolatory conversation between her and her husband suddenly turns violent, as it seems as if the writers decided to change their minds halfway about his character, as he becomes a snarky misogynist. Well, he's disposed of promptly and no prizes for who the psycho party planner will be. That's the thing about this film, it's straightforward. You know exactly what's going to happen, and sometimes, even when it's going to happen.
So, Lindy (Katrina Begin) wants to become a party planner for 16-year-old-Kerry, whose main aim is to have a 'Sweet 16' party. It's all she can think about. Her mother Kayla (Lindsey McKeon) is too busy with her exhibition, so she decides to hire a party planner. And, Lindy seems perfect. Why wouldn't she be? She killed off the other contender anyway. Yeah, the second murder in the film is quite a hilarious watch. Anyway, perky Lindy promises the "best bash" ever, to the extent that she even wants Kerry's cheerleader team to perform a drill for it (Er, why?).
Lindy's obsessed with Kerry and has strange motherly feelings. And so, she does crazy things. That's the premise of the plot. That's really it. There's a revelation at the end of the film, but you spend half your time wondering whether it's actually true or not.
'Psycho Party Planner' is a film for those who want to watch a thriller, but don't think they can deal with bloody murders, suspense, and intrigue. The film's fun, let's be fair, when it doesn't intend to be. There are a few emotional moments hemmed in, which are just short of striking a chord. It's not bad though, compared to the rest of the film. The acting is decent, the actors seem to have been told not to have much depth or distinguishable character traits. Lindy is your usual one-dimensional killer, who creeps around houses taking pictures of extra-marital affairs, pinning GPS on unsuspecting people. She's also quite considerate, as she sometimes decides to just give her victims a whack on the head and leave them be, even though she possesses a gun. Up your killer game, Lindy.
'Psycho Party Planner' is a good film to watch if there are no other films in the world. But your call. Have fun!