Have you ever noticed the pattern of successful entertainment personalities, having experienced some sort of adversity or hardship when they were young? The comedian whose Dad was an abusive jerk. The actor who was bullied for their acne or their off-brand jeans or their haircut (you know the important stuff that bullies care about). As a creator, you can control the narrative and ultimately, the outcome for your characters (what should happen). For Jacob Chase, Come Play, has a message about loneliness, about empathy and about overcoming the qualities in ourselves that challenge us most.
A bit about Come Play
It’s fair to say (I double checked with Jacob Chase) that Come Play is a blend of The Babadook and ET. Despite the heart-racing jump scares and sweat-inducing practical effects, when the terrifying monster Larry emerges, I kind of wanted to reach out my finger and say “Lar-Ry Phone Home.” In fact, all Larry wants is a friend. The story centers around a little boy named Oliver (Azhy Robertson) who has a severity of autism that leaves him unable to communicate verbally. Oliver’s Mom, Sarah (Gillian Jacobs), is doing her best to navigate the challenges that come with this, while also dealing with the deterioration of her marriage to Marty (John Gallagher, Jr.).
The thing of the movie, is that Larry lives inside your smart phone or your tablet (I’ll probably use this explanation with my kids to get them off those ridiculous package opening YouTube videos) and he grows strength and emerges from the technology as you read his story.
The thing is, yeah, Larry is a monster who wants to suck Oliver into his dark world. And sure, Larry will probably kill you if he has the chance. But Larry just wants a friend, after all, and who can’t empathize with that?
Our interview with Jacob Chase
We had such a nice time chatting with Jacob Chase. Everything from, his motivations for making the movie, his wife’s work that inspired the film and his overall passion for all things that go bump-in-the-night. The making of Larry and how the practical effects came together, also gave us a different perspective on the film.
We hope you enjoy hearing about the making of Come Play too!
Prefer video?
Put down your coffee and check out the trailer!
You can also read Tim’s review of Come Play.
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