Tag Archives: BuzzFeed Studios

Review: Adam Ellis’ viral Twitter thread moves from phone screens to movie screens in John McPhail’s ‘DEAR DAVID.’

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SYNOPSIS: Shortly after comic artist Adam (Augustus Prew) responds to Internet trolls, he begins experiencing sleep paralysis — while an empty rocking chair moves in the corner of his apartment. As he chronicles increasingly malevolent occurrences in a series of tweets, Adam begins to believe he is being haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David. Encouraged by his boss to continue the “Dear David” thread, Adam starts to lose his grip on what is online…and what is real. Based on the viral Twitter thread by BuzzFeed comic artist Adam Ellis.

Director John McPhail and screenwriter Mike Van Waes had the tricky job of taking Adam Ellis‘ real-life viral Twitter feed and translating it for the big screen. If you don’t know the “Dear David” story, let me sum it up. Cartoonist Adam Ellis starts to document the haunting of his apartment. Things get weirder each night, culminating in photographs of this little boy with a caved-in skull dropping onto Adam’s bed. It was truly terrifying reading the thread. I remember sweating as the incidents became creepier and more intense. It was an honest-to-goodness viral moment. This week, DEAR DAVID moves from small screens to movie screens, and the results are mostly comparable.

In his supporting role, scream king Justin Long is Buzzfeed’s deliciously douchey editor. You love to hate him. But the film hinges on the likeability and overall effectiveness of Augustus Prew as Adam. Prew does a fantastic job of charming us. He is relatable in a way that caught me off guard. I can only imagine Adam Ellis being proud of his portrayal regardless of how accurate it is to real life.

The film boasts amazingly timed jump scares. Let’s give a brilliant slow clap for editors David Arthur and Glenn Garland. The script is especially relevant in our ongoing age of vitriolic online engagement. It is also a mystery wrapped in a horror movie, using a personal connection about self-worth. If you know the Dear David canon, it might be better to separate the two. Did I shout with glee when the original “David” drawing appeared? Yup. If I’m being entirely honest, the climax feels a touch hokey, but the final scene brings some redemption. DEAR DAVID is inarguably intriguing. I needed to know how McPhail would expand upon the genuinely disturbing origin material, so there’s no denying I was along for the ride. Genre fans will eat this up.

Terror Goes Viral

 

Lionsgate will distribute the horror film DEAR DAVID in select Theaters, On Digital and On Demand on October 13th which is a co-production by Lionsgate and Buzzfeed Studios.

 

The film stars Augustus Prew (“The Morning Show”), Andrea Bang (“A Million Little Things”), Rene Escobar Jr. (Neon Lights), Cameron Nicoll (Slumberland) and Justin Long (Barbarian). The film was co-produced by BuzzFeed Studios and directed by John McPhail (Anna and the Apocalypse). The film was written by Mike Van Waes in his feature film debut based on a story by Waes and Evan Turner (The Out-Laws). 

Review: MLM promise and chaos ‘THE RISE AND FALL OF LULAROE’ now on Discovery+

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THE RISE AND FALL OF LULAROE, a film that pulls the curtain back on the multi-level marketing company and features interviews with retailers, warehouse workers, designers and others whose lives were profoundly impacted by the organization. Through a partnership with BuzzFeed Studios and journalist Stephanie McNeal’s in-depth investigation, THE RISE AND FALL OF LULAROE uncovers parts of the story that haven’t been heard before, including recent developments and first hand accounts from sources who are speaking out for the first time. It includes authorities such as cult expert, Rick Ross, Cultish author Amanda Montell, and blogger Christina Hinks, who was one of the first to expose LuLaRoe’s innerworkings. The film will world premiere December 13th on discovery+, the definitive non-fiction, real-life subscription streaming service.

The film shines a light on present day LuLaRoe at the company’s most recent incentive trip in Cancun, Mexico called LuLaRoe D.R.E.A.M 2021. Here, we meet LuLaRoe’s first ever retailer and see that the company is still going strong, despite the growing community of Facebook activists, including former customers and retailers, who are determined to stop at nothing to take down the organization. Experts in the documentary reflect on how LuLaRoe seduced thousands of recruits, some of whom ended up risking their homes, their bank accounts, and their relationships with close family and friends – all in an effort to be their own boss by selling LuLaRoe leggings. The film explores the psychological techniques used by multi-level marketers, and how the company harnessed the full power of social media to onboard a massive pool of retailers.

I’ve watched one close friend become involved with three MLMs since we were both pregnant seven years ago. I cannot explain how many random messages I receive on Facebook from people I knew in high school (mostly women) asking if they can talk to me about a great business opportunity. I quickly learned that I was going to be pitched some sort of MLM scheme. In my early twenties, I was caught up in one myself. The amount of anxiety this caused me and money out of my pocket is indescribable. I get the notion of monetary freedom and a sense of community that these companies promise. In a lot of cases, they end up being overwhelming money monsters. In the new documentary, The Rise and Fall of LulaRoe, former and present consultants and employees talk about their personal experience with the company. If you don’t know about LuLaRoe by now, their claim to fame is leggings. But, not just any leggings, “buttery soft” leggings. In truth, because my friend started selling them, I started buying them. In 2015, I owned more pairs of leggings, Irma tops, Julia, and Carly dresses than five women needed. I started joining Facebook groups on the hunt for “unicorn prints,” and man, was I pissed when a co-worker bought the pizza leggings 10 seconds before in a group filled with 10K+ members. It wasn’t until my first pair arrived with a hole in them that I stopped and thought, “Oh Boy, this is what I’ve been hearing about lately.” My beautiful consultant friend told me that she’d swap them out and send those back to the company. A few months later, she quit. She and her husband were the lucky few to get reimbursed for their inventory. 

In the film, MLMs are clearly defined with colorful graphics. The promises LuLaRoe makes its consultants are plastered on social media. They get reinforced at conventions, cruises, and weekly webinars. “You gotta spend money to make money!” is a phrase repeated ad nauseam. The toxic positivity is glaring. Founders Deanne and Mark Stidham took the prosperity bible and saw an opportunity to make money. You’ll learn that the pyramid scheme dynamic is in their blood. The connection between Mormonism and mid-level marketing is no coincidence. As a stay-at-home Mom, who wouldn’t want to work less, make more money and spend time with their families? The doc features depositions from Deanne and Mark, and damn, they sound guilt as hell. You shake your head as you watch them not answer simple questions. When you hear the same stories, again and again from former consultants, it is clear that the company did more harm than good in the end. Knowing that there are countless lawsuits across the country and that the company continues to operate is nothing less than infuriating. The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe is eye-opening. It should scare CEOs of MLMs everywhere. 

THE RISE AND FALL OF LULAROE is produced by Left/Right, A Red Arrow Studios Company, in association with BuzzFeed Studios for TLC.

Follow discovery+ on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and follow TLC on Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube for the latest on all things THE RISE AND FALL OF LULAROE. Join the conversation using #TheRiseAndFallOfLuLaRoe.

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