Grimcutty
Grimcutty
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Grimcutty is a 2022 horror movie about a monstrous internet meme that has come to life and seems to be encouraging teens to hurt themselves and their parents. Expect horror movie violence and talk of cutting and suicide attempts. A young boy stabs his mother in the chest. Teens slice their arms, drawing blood and requiring stitches. A hospital emergency room is filled with teens who seem to be attempting suicide by cutting or choking. Strong language throughout includes "f--k," and there are sounds of internet porn on a computer. At a large party, teens in the background drink booze from a blender and drink from red plastic cups. Through horror, the movie makes commentary on the challenges families and teens face with smartphones, the internet, and social media, and their negative impacts on mental and emotional health.
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Grimcutty
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What's the Story?
In GRIMCUTTY, the Chaudhrys are a family of four living in suburbia. While teen Asha (Sara Wolfkind) is trying to build the audience for her ASMR-centered social media channel, her parents Amir (Usman Ally) and Leah (Shannyn Sossamon) are trying to find ways to cut back on screen time with Leah and her tween younger brother, Kamran. Amir and Leah become much more concerned after learning from their neighbors about a disturbing meme on the internet named Grimcutty, a rumored challenge that's causing teens to cut themselves and attempt suicide, even resulting in a young boy's attempt to murder his mother by stabbing her in the chest. Commiserating with friends over "the talk" the teens are having with their parents about Grimcutty, Asha makes a horrific discovery: Grimcutty is real and is trying to force her to cut herself. After the first attack, Amir and Leah confiscate all smartphones into a locked "detox box," and so, without her smartphone or access to the internet, Asha must find a way to find out who unleashed Grimcutty on the world, why these attacks are happening, and how Grimcutty can be stopped.
Is It Any Good?
There's a thoughtful if unoriginal message here that's diluted by cheesy horror movie conventions. Grimcutty has a lot to say about the issues of technology, particularly it's impact on teens, but also on the relationships between parents and teens. What heavy metal, rap music, and "just say no" were for teens and parents in the 1980s, the internet, smartphones, and social media are the driving forces behind some real problems and some overwrought hysteria now, and, as ever, it's not easy for parents to tell the difference. Enter Grimcutty, a giant monster borne out of the internet and internet hysteria, a giant monster that only the kids can see -- a monster that parents cannot see but can only react to.
One of the problems is that the monster looks too goofy to be taken seriously. It looks more like a rejected Tim Burton monster than anything truly horrific. Instead of scares, it induces giggles. Another problem is that the movie isn't saying anything parents and teens haven't already figured out by now about the perils of modern technology. And if they hadn't figured that out on their own, there have already been plenty of Black Mirror episodes to provide plenty to worry about. Yes, parents and kids need to be mindful of the problems that can arise with technology and especially with the mental and emotional well-being of teens, but this goofy-looking monster and uneven story aren't the best vehicles to deliver that message.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about horror movies like Grimcutty. How was this similar to and different from other horror movies you've seen?
What comment was the movie making about teens and screen time?
Was the violence excessive, or was it necessary to the story? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 10, 2022
- Cast: Sara Wolfkind, Usman Ally, Shannyn Sossamon
- Director: John Ross
- Studio: Hulu
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, High School, Middle School
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: January 27, 2023
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