Bruiser (2000 film)

Bruiser

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2000 (2000)
Founder	George A. Romero
Headquarters	Toronto , Canada
Products	Horror-thriller film

Bruiser is a horror-thriller motion picture from 2000, both penned and helmed by George A. Romero. The cast includes Jason Flemyng, Peter Stormare, and Leslie Hope. Filming took place in Toronto.

Plot

Henry Creedlow works as a creative director for the popular magazine Bruiser but endures a bleak existence alongside his detached spouse, Janine. At his job, his superior Milo Styles frequently belittles him, eroding Henry's self-esteem. During a corporate gathering, Rosie—Milo’s wife and an amateur mask maker—creates a plaster cast of Henry’s face.

After Henry catches Janine cheating with Milo, he confronts her but is met with disregard. The following day, Henry awakens to find his visage replaced by a smooth, white mask that cannot be removed without harm. He kills Katie, the household maid caught stealing.

Henry later uncovers Janine and Milo’s affair; when Rosie reveals their betrayal, Henry kills Janine by strangulation. As the police investigate, Henry avoids arrest and learns that his friend Jimmy has been embezzling funds with Janine’s help. After Jimmy tries to murder him, Henry shoots him dead in self-defense.

Using the pseudonym "Faceless," Henry calls into a radio broadcast and vows to eliminate those who wronged him to reclaim his identity. At Milo’s Halloween event, Henry kills his boss with a laser device and briefly recovers his original face. Detective McCleary attempts to detain him, but Rosie takes responsibility for the killings, enabling Henry’s escape.

Years later, Henry is employed as an office courier in another city, only to have his faceless condition return when confronted by a tyrannical executive.

Soundtrack

Donald Rubinstein composed the film’s score, which includes contributions from the horror punk group The Misfits.

Release

The movie debuted on 13 February 2000 in Canada and was distributed directly to DVD in the United States on 9 October 2001.

Box office

In France, Bruiser earned $14,960 at the box office.

Critical response

On IMDb, it holds an average user rating of 5.3 out of 10.