TOUCH ME (2025)

4 stars

Lightbulb Film Distribution. Digital and Blu ray. 4th May

TOUCH ME is a wonderfully quirky and bizarre horror science fiction with a darkly comic undertone from writer/director Addison Heimann, though I suspect it will prove a divisive watch – as it’s not exactly straightforward!

After the amorphous, colourful opening, we have our main character Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley) being encouraged to confront her mental issues using immersion therapy – where you tell what has happened to you in “funny and crazy ways”. As the camera slowly tracks in, you are drawn in by the mesmerising performance by Dudley, as she tells a story of meeting Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci), a tracksuit wearing alien who claims he can save the world with trees that suck up CO2. She has sex with this stranger but it gets too rough…

She now lives with her gay best friend Craig (Jordan Gavaris). When their shower starts to spew out shit, she persuades him to return with her to Brian, where they both captivated by this charismatic and enigmatic character, who eats chicken tenders and fries and likes to do hip hop dancing. It isn’t long before they have both had amazing sex with him, where he reveals his true alien form… complete with tentacles!

I enjoyed this out there, whacky escapade with great turns by the cast, especially Dudley. The film pulls influences from Japanese Hentai and body horror as it explores things like trauma and addiction with an often surreal vibe and good use of humour.

Steve Kirkham