This is a review of Vertical's 2024 horror/romance film Your Monster, starring Scream actress Melissa Barrera. The film tells the story of Lola (Melissa Barrera), a stage actress battling cancer. While she is undergoing treatment, her boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) breaks up with her, unable to stand the situation. Lola falls into severe depression, but her life is suddenly changed by the sudden appearance of a monster (Tommy Dewey) in her house. The two develop an unexpected bond, but this raises the question of whether this will lead Lola down a dark path.

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Your Monster is a clever movie with great visuals and some good costumes. Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey give great performances and express a wide range of emotions.

They can be funny at times but then switch to more serious acting, portraying pain, anger and more tense emotions. Their chemistry is great and they complement each other well. The monster brings a lot of humor to the story and once he gets to know Laura, their banter becomes a highlight. The main focus of this film is the world of acting and theater, which adds a unique and interesting element to the story. It depicts the realistic process of putting on a show, from writing the script to auditions, which was a lot of fun. The clever thing about this film is how Laura and the monster help each other in different ways. Laura is kind and tolerant and tries to teach the monster the difference between right and wrong.

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Meanwhile, the monster's dark side inspires Laura to stand up for herself and embrace the darkness within her, rather than being swept away by others. This contrast makes for a compelling storyline in which both characters push each other to grow and change. Laura's boyfriend, Jacob, is a very unlikeable character. You'd think he could be more likable, but he's not. The film does a great job of shocking the audience with his actions and behavior.

I was lucky enough to speak with Edmund Donovan and Kayla Foster (Maisie) in an interview for the film. Edmund shared that he empathized with his character by overlooking her shortcomings and instead focusing on her drive and passion to move forward in her career and not letting anything or anyone stop her. Kayla, who not only played one of the leads but also took on the role of producer, said the experience was tough and rewarding at the same time. But she liked that it was a challenge. You can watch the film on the FlixHD website.