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My Friend Dahmer

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for My Friend Dahmer R 2017 1h 47m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
85% Tomatometer 103 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
The true, haunting story of young Jeffrey Dahmer -- the shy adolescent in high school who becomes a notorious serial killer years later.
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My Friend Dahmer

My Friend Dahmer

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Critics Consensus

My Friend Dahmer opens a window into the making of a serial killer whose conclusions are as empathetic as they are deeply troubling.

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Critics Reviews

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Elena Lazic Little White Lies 07/03/2018
4/5
Although My Friend Dahmer does not resolve the impossible question of 'nature vs nurture', it approaches it with a humanity that is too often missing from such stories. Go to Full Review
Charlotte O'Sullivan London Evening Standard 06/09/2018
4/5
Isn't there something pathological about the way we privilege the pathological? If you can stomach the focus of My Friend Dahmer, you'll find this rewarding. Go to Full Review
Donald Clarke Irish Times 06/08/2018
4/5
My Friend Dahmer is nonetheless a sad film about squandered opportunity. Everybody is losing out in this grim, claustrophobic version of the late 1970s. Go to Full Review
Grant Watson Fiction Machine 10/10/2021
8/10
It's a frightening film, but more than that it's a drama. More than that it's a tragedy. Go to Full Review
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com 09/17/2020
3.0/4.0
In addition to Lynch's breakout performance, Alex Wolff is riveting as Backderf. Go to Full Review
Andrew Gaudion THN 08/30/2020
3/5
While maybe not as subtle as it could've been, does offer a indisputably curious account of the young man that came before the monster, Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Roy V Nov 27 I don't think I've ever been so bored in a movie before. Absolutely abysmal. If I could give it zero starts I would. See more Ryanne I Feb 4 As much as I love Ross Lynch, he is a great actor. I don’t think he portrayed Dahmer as well as Evan peters. If you wanna look into a series that really sucks you into Jeffrey Dahmer and the story feeling more realistic, I would watch the monster series of Jeffrey Dahmer. It’s only 10 episodes long and the actors are more accurate looking. In this series, the mom and the father do not look like the actual people. And the same with Ross he does not look like Dahmer just because you give them the same haircut and glasses does not make him look like him. See more Jeff M 02/11/2024 This is a shockingly good movie detailing the high school years of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer - I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of this production, having heard nothing about it before seeing it. I know nothing at all about this young Ross Lynch kid - apparently his background includes a Disney Channel show and being in a band or two. He is sensational here, and it's an electrifying performance that deserved awards attention. He perfectly nails this awkward adolescent, from the blank stare to the uncomfortable posture and walk. It's a performance that could have so easily gone over the top, but I believed every second of it. Sadly, the same can't be said for Heche as his mother in a performance that feels like a caricature and doesn't gel tonally with the rest of the film. The film isn't really able to explain what led to Dahmer's erosion - his home life wasn't great and he was an outcast at school, but neither to a remarkable degree. But there probably isn't one specific answer. This movie just wants to give us a glimpse into the young life of a deeply disturbed man - and it succeeds tremendously well. And Lynch's performance is one I'll remember for a long time to come. See more Tyler S @tylerking24 02/07/2024 Solid depiction of Jeffrey Dahmer's early life. Not my favorite Dahmer project but it is still worth the watch. See more Gareth v 06/22/2023 Based on the fantastic graphic novel, the movie version comes across as a tad flat. Not bad but the novel is far superior. See more Rogue 5 04/04/2023 A combination of sadness and scary emotions that will make you feel bad for Dahmer and see how great of an actor Ross Lynch is. See more Read all reviews
My Friend Dahmer

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Movie Info

Synopsis The true, haunting story of young Jeffrey Dahmer -- the shy adolescent in high school who becomes a notorious serial killer years later.
Director
Marc Meyers
Producer
Jody Girgenti, Marc Meyers, Adam Goldworm, Michael Merlob, Milan Chakraborty
Screenwriter
Marc Meyers
Distributor
FilmRise
Production Co
Attic Light Films, Aperture Entertainment, Ibid Filmworks
Rating
R (Disturbing Images|Brief Nudity|Teen Drug Use|Drinking|Language|Sexual Content)
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 3, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 6, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.3M
Runtime
1h 47m
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