What do you get when you cross a serial killer saga, a road movie, a thriller, some comedy, a variation on an odd-couple buddy film, and a celebrity chimpanzee? In the case of He Went That Way (U.S., 2023), the answer is a film that lacks clear focus but is nevertheless entertaining throughout.
He Went That Way features a title card that proclaims that the events in the film mostly happened. The real-life story involved animal trainer Dave Pitts and the actual chimpanzee Spanky traveling with hitchhiker and serial killer Larry Lee Ranes. Pitts gives an accounting of his tale during the end credits, which also feature a clip of Spanky performing in The Ice Capades.
For the fictionalized version, animal trainer Jim (Zachary Quinto) is traveling America’s Route 66 with his beloved chimpanzee Spanky, who was once the toast of highly rated television variety shows and live performances but who has fallen out of favor in the film’s 1964 setting. He offers a ride to hitchhiker Bobby (Jacob Elordi), who viewers learn very early on is a murderer — and a serial killer at that. Bobby attacks and robs Jim but the next morning makes a deal with him for safe passage to Chicago, with the undercurrent of possible sudden death for Jim and Spanky both constantly at play.
Director Jeffrey Darling died in a surfing accident shortly after principal photography wrapped, and his vision for the film may have differed from this final product. What we do have with He Went That Way is a genre-jumping work that blends patches of humor and pathos with menacing sequences, violent outbursts, and murder. It feels disjointed at times but fine performances from Quinto and Elordi and striking cinematography from Sean Bagley make the film well worth a watch.
Spanky brings a distracting uncanny-valley presence to the proceedings. A costumed actor, animatronics, and puppetry were used to bring the chimpanzee to cinematic life, and I was puzzled by the oddness of the presentation.
Not a horror film but horror-adjacent with its true crime inspiration, He Went That Way is an odd slice of independent cinema that boasts winning performances from its two top stars. For viewers in the mood for something decidedly different, this selection should fit the bill.
He Went That Way is part of Tribeca Festival, which takes place in New York City from June 7–18, 2023.
