- Release year: 2024
- Director: Ciaran Lyons.
- Producers: Beth Allan and Josefin Bagge.
- Screenplay by: Ciaran Lyons, Lorn Macdonald and Orlando Norman.
- Cinematography by: David Liddell.
Synopsis: a tattoo artist finds himself confined in a trap of his own making after a celebrity denies his request for a selfie.
Shotgun Commentary: stressful, asphyxiating, unique, and absolutely genius.
Review
Tummy Monster is a horror film that channels the core principles of the genre. It takes a perfectly normal situation, and changes just enough to make it absolutely terrifying. A grotesque imitation of reality that seeps into your bones and rattles you to the core.
An ever-escalating narrative
The feature follows a tattoo artist named Tales (Lorn Macdonald) and a famous singer called Tummy (Orlando Norman). Tummy shows up in the middle of the night, after closing time, to Tale’s tattoo parlour to get a new tattoo. Presumably, he chose that time to avoid being recognised or spotted by anyone else. But the eccentricity of the choice makes the audience put their defences up from the very beginning. However, it is not until the beginning of the most ridiculous confrontation ever that you begin to understand what the movie really is about.
Once the tattoo has been made and their interaction seems to be coming to a close, Tales does something that completely changes their dynamic and, eventually, his life: he asks Tummy for a selfie. Like many artists, Tummy refuses, making Tales call him out on being an asshole. Tummy replies with “Rub your tummy, or I’ll think you’re an asshole”. A phrase he keeps repeating to Tales over and over.
At first, it seems like that’s his way of making Tales see how demanding and annoying audiences can be and how unfair it is that he has to give in every single time in order to not look like an asshole. Nevertheless, as the story evolves, you realise that it is about so much more than that. Still, in the name of avoiding spoilers, there won’t be any further details on this matter.
An unsavoury trend
The main highlight of the story is its characters. The story develops around it and, as such, it is fortuitous that they are fascinating. Tales, as hinted by its name, is a compulsive liar living in layers upon layers of bullsh*t. He is so deep in his own web of lies that he is incapable of seeing the truth any more, even about himself. There are four main victims in his web and, unsurprisingly, all of them women. You’ve met the type. The guy that swears he’s a good guy and a good person while systematically disregarding the feelings of everyone around him because he is too focused on how much the world owes him.
Granted, this archetype is relatable and familiar regardless of gender, but male characters with this personality feel so relevant right now with the raise of misogynistic content on socials and politics. Guys that genuinely believe they are owed something just for not being complete assholes to others are amongst the most dangerous because they are harder to spot. The archetype came out beautifully early in the year by the hand of Jack Quaid’s Josh in Companion (2025), and we are seeing it once again thanks to Macdonald’s gorgeous performance as Tales in this film.
Tummy problems
The relevance and wonderful portrayal Tales and his insane journey would be nothing without Tummy. The singer seems to be a brainless, entitled rapper who got his fame way too soon but that first impression morphs into something a lot eerier and strangely respectable in a way. He is a complex character whose goals and limitations are never quite defined. This provides the perfect breeding ground for you to grow your own theory of him. Much like real celebrities, you never quite get into the real person behind it, but there are just enough hints to keep you undeniably hooked.
A personal favourite is that he might just be a person desperate for human connection. A real connection. The tattoo artist says so himself, the singer is not real, nothing in his life is actually real. And I think the only way he has to reach reality is through brining people to their breaking point, which is the only circumstance under which a person is completely themselves. That’s the only way he can be sure that he is having a real connection despite his celebrity status. After all, if Opus (2025) has taught us anything, it is that we become completely different people when in the presence of a celebrity, especially if we admire them.
All in all, Tummy Monster is pure insanity in a unique package. As far as first features go, this is amongst the most powerful I’ve ever seen. The story relies heavily on acting and editing, and neither of those disappoint, creating an effective horror tale for the ages.
The film is currently touring the UK
If you are feeling the Tummy fever, catch this film at your closest venue! Link to the tickets below.
- Sheffield Showroom – May 9th
- Manchester Home – May 10th
- Montrose Playhouse – May 11th
- Dumfries Robert Burns Film Theatre – May 12th
- Edinburgh Cameo – May 13th
- Inverness Eden Court – May 14th
- Stornoway An Lantair – May 17th
- Birmingham Mockingbird – May 19th
- Leigh Film Factory – May 20th
- Bo’ness Hippodrome – May 24th
- Lanternhouse Cinema Cumbernauld – May 25th
- Macrobert Arts Centre Stirling – May 28th
- GMAC Glasgow – June 7th
For more updates and tickets, click right here!
Advice to take from this movie:
- Sometimes it’s okay to admit you’re an asshole.
- We should all care less about what people think of us.
- Careful who you leave your kids with.
What’s your take? Have you watched Tummy Monster? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀