Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 1986

7.2/10
A disquieting depiction of murder’s mundanity

There is goodness within everyone… supposedly. However, there are some instances where the belief is almost foolish, some sins done against humanity that can't be explained, reasoned out, or defended. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer challenges that notion in three characters (the titular serial killer, his fellow ex-con Otis, and Otis’ sister Becky) and in the silent, unprotesting way writer-director John McNaughton makes us witness their lives. While true crime aficionados and horror fans might find this rather tame, the true horror of this portrait isn't in the kills, but rather in the way we’ve become accustomed to this violence, the same way a literal serial killer would be.

Synopsis

Henry likes to kill people, in different ways each time. Henry shares an apartment with Otis. When Otis' sister comes to stay, we see both sides of Henry: "the guy next door" and the serial killer.

Storyline

After being released from prison, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis in Chicago, and starts teaching him his methods in serial killing.

TLDR

This is not the best film to see before going to Chicago, though.

What stands out

The performances.