Little Monsters (2019 film)

Little Monsters

Company type	Film
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	2019 (2019)
Founder	Abe Forsythe (writer and director)
Products	Zombie comedy film

Little Monsters is a 2019 zombie comedy film both written and directed by Abe Forsythe, featuring performances by Lupita Nyong'o, Alexander England, Josh Gad, and Kat Stewart. The story centers on a washed-out musician, a children's television host, and a kindergarten teacher who come together to safeguard young kids amid an unexpected zombie outbreak.

The movie debuted at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2019. It saw a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 8, 2019, through Neon, followed by streaming availability on October 11 via Hulu. In Australia, the film was released on October 31 under Universal Pictures, while in the United Kingdom it premiered on November 15 through Altitude. Critics generally responded positively, with particular commendation for the cast’s performances.

Plot

Taking place in Australia, the narrative follows Dave, a former musician whose career has declined. After a painful breakup with his girlfriend Sara, he moves in with his sister Tess and her son Felix, a boy captivated by tractors, space blasters, and Darth Vader. While dropping Felix off at kindergarten, Dave encounters Miss Audrey Caroline, Felix’s teacher, and finds himself drawn to her. When a parent cancels participation in an upcoming farm field trip, Dave volunteers to chaperone as an opportunity to be near Audrey.

On the day of the excursion, Dave is disappointed to discover that Teddy McGiggle—a popular children’s TV personality—is filming at the farm and that Audrey is engaged to another man. Suddenly, zombies escape from a U.S. research facility and attack the farm, trapping the children and adults. The group takes refuge inside the gift shop but finds Teddy locked inside and unwilling to open the door. Audrey leads the children through a crawl space beside the shop while Dave gains entry by breaking in through the roof. He subdues Teddy and lets everyone inside. Felix suffers an allergic reaction after Dave inadvertently gives him chips containing dairy. Audrey rushes to retrieve epinephrine from Felix’s backpack left in a nearby tractor. Teddy attempts to signal a military helicopter but falls from the roof; Dave rescues him. Teddy then reveals his real identity as Nathan Schneider and admits struggling with alcoholism, sex addiction, depression, and harboring resentment toward children despite his TV image.

That evening, Dave opens up about being abandoned by his father and having only his sister for support. Audrey confesses she is no longer engaged due to her fiancé’s infidelity but continues wearing her ring to deter fathers of her students.

The following day, Dave boosts morale by singing Sweet Caroline with the children. Meanwhile, the military plans to bomb the gift shop to eliminate the zombies. The group decides to escape using vehicles. Teddy betrays Dave while retrieving his McGiggle Mobile and is killed by Frogsie—his zombified assistant. To evade zombies, Dave climbs atop a van until Felix arrives driving a tractor to rescue him; together they save Audrey and the children. They discover that playing music calms the zombies. As they reach military safety just before the farm is bombed, pursuing zombies are shot down.

Before entering quarantine due to infection risk, Dave and Audrey share a kiss. The closing scene depicts them singing Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" alongside the children as their parents watch on emotionally.

Production

In October 2017, it was revealed that Lupita Nyong'o and Josh Gad would star in the project, with Abe Forsythe both directing and writing the screenplay. The production team featured Keith Calder, Jess Calder, and Bruna Papandrea, representing their companies Snoot Entertainment and Made Up Stories. Backed financially and produced by Screen Australia, the filming took place in Sydney.

Release

The movie had its debut at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2019. Shortly thereafter, distribution rights were obtained by Neon and Hulu. Little Monsters was initially released in select theaters across the United States on October 8, 2019, followed by availability for streaming on Hulu starting October 11, 2019. In Australia, Universal Pictures Australia provided a limited theatrical run beginning October 31, 2019, with a digital release occurring approximately three weeks later. The United Kingdom saw the film’s release on November 15, 2019.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating based on numerous reviews, with an average rating reflecting mixed sentiments. The critical summary highlights Lupita Nyong'o’s exceptional performance and describes Little Monsters as a blend of horror and romantic comedy that revitalizes the zombie genre. Meanwhile, on Metacritic, it has earned a score of 59 out of 100 from 19 critics, signifying generally mixed or average feedback.