Former Disney Channel star Ross Lynch goes deep with this departure from his previous TV fare. He plays the titular character, who later became notorious when he confessed to raping, killing, dismembering and cannibalizing 17 men. This film doesn’t detail any of that, but pre-shows his awkward teen years. It exposes the family influences and twisted inclinations that would later develop into his depravity. Lynch plays the role with a pronounced slump and a deadpan demeanor, but manages to bring sensitivity to the intimate and sometimes uncomfortable portrayal. Anne Heche turns in an awkward, quirky performance as his mother. This intriguing curiosity doesn’t have much dramatic impact and is a film that would be rendered uninteresting if we didn’t know what the future held for Dahmer and his victims.
(3 / 5)