Ashley screams at her mother and throws a conniption for Barella, a new toy she will be getting for her birthday, but wants now. The mother relents. Ashley is over Todd, her teddy bear, and throws him in the closet. That night, while Ashley sleeps with Barella, the closet door opens. A plume of smoke rises out of the toy box, blanketing the floor. The room shakes, waking Ashley. Todd jumps out, ties a rope to her leg, and drags her into the closet. Her mother, fed up with the screaming child, stomps in only to find Ashley in the closet, her eyes ripped out.
Jack reflects on his life up to this point — his childhood toy, Benny, and his failed career as a toy designer. At 35, he still lives with his parents, destroying any chance he has of hooking up with someone, let alone dating them. But on his birthday, a freak accident kills both his parents. Ten months later, Jack can’t keep up with the mortgage. His boss demotes him, and Jack can’t afford the new role. So, he puts the house on the market, dresses in suits, and throws away his childhood toys, including his beloved Benny, who was his protector from all the scary things in the dark.
The film takes that Toy Story-esque concept of a person growing out of their toys, but rather than the toys having ennui, they get revenge. Benny won’t take Jack putting him in the rubbish lying down.
The movie feels like a labor of love — though cheap and unpolished, it works hard with the resources it has to make the most of the experience. The movie shines brightest with its creative kills and intentional art direction.
Though the movie has a cruel edge to its humor, it has a soft emotional underbelly. Although Jack is in arrested development, it is the world’s cruelty that encourages him to throw Benny away in the first place. But when Jack’s life finally starts to look up, Benny still wants Jack all to himself.
Facets of it remind me of Drop Dead Fred, but with a much higher body count. It’s hard not to appreciate the movie’s ambitions and the swings it takes. Perhaps this won’t satisfy the hardened horror fans, but if you can soften up a little, Benny might find his way into your heart.
The boss’s dog, Precious, is so cute!