A preposterously funny, wickedly entertaining horror/comedy feels like the perfect match to debut at genre-heavy Fantastic Fest. Enter: Bad Haircut, a campy title that evolves past horny teen comedy into a bonafide horror mashup with heart. At its zany center, the off-kilter Mick (Frankie Ray)—who should affectionately be described as an overly enthusiastic barber with serious Jagger energy—suspiciously brandishes his scissors as the missing women stack up. Writer/director Kyle Misak could have gone in so many directions with this plot, including the rather obvious serial killer snatcher who offs women. Instead, reluctant hero Billy (Spencer Harrison Levin) and his journey to self-discovery leads him to cross pass with Mick’s twisted ways in the midst of a serious cool kid makeover. Original and tons of fun, Bad Haircut arrives with an exclamation mark, a killer soundtrack, and an age-old underdog story covered in blood.
Beginning at a typical high school party filled with douchey bullies, drug abuse, and keg-stands, it takes all of five minutes for Bad Haircut to set up its superbly simplistic premise. Overly shy Billy gets mocked when he attempts to flirt with a few girls that seem way out of his league. The primary complaint: his hair sucks. Despite the encouragement of his suave bestie, Sonny (Beau Minniear), Billy cannot seem to grow a backbone. Sonny and their friend, Dee (R.J. Beaubrun), vow to completely overhaul Billy’s image. That means new kicks, a fresh wardrobe, and, most importantly, a stylish haircut. Sonny insists that they use his good pal, Mick, despite Billy’s numerous protests. The rest, as they say, is history.
When Sonny and Dee leave Billy in Mick’s twisted barber shop to head off to the mall, Billy gets finds himself alone with his worst nightmare. As Billy gets increasingly more nervous, Levin plays him as hysterical yet somehow quietly brave. Rarely does Billy simply feed back what Mick wants to hear—the majority of their interactions are honest, if entirely unhinged. Being alone in the barber’s chair brings out both the best and the worst in Billy. Billy’s character evolution turns to full on reinvention. Bad Haircut boils down to a comedy of errors seeped in horror pastiche, with each addition to the scenario making things worse and worse for poor Billy.
Calling Mick eccentric would probably be an understatement. He definitely has a wild swagger, extravagantly personified by Ray’s grandiose, utterly ridiculous portrayal of a lonely psychopath. That we manage to have even a modicum of sympathy for the character once we learn slivers of his backstory is a testament to both the writing and Ray’s flamboyant commitment to the bit. Mick’s overt need for everyone to love him turns sinister the longer Billy becomes trapped in his web of lies. It does indeed take quite awhile to get there, allowing breathing room to really build the conflict between Billy and Mick. To make matters worse, dastardly sidekick Wimp (Martin Klebba), far more vital to Mick than an average janitor, pulls out a gun anytime Billy tries to escape his impossible situation.
It would have been easy to set up this world, but bypass character growth entirely in favor of typical slasher antics. Both Sonny and Dee are not forgotten as the film progresses. Sonny’s loyalty to Billy is sweet, and Minniear does a charming job with what he’s given. Even Mick receives depth. A cookie cutter villain can be viewed as taking the easy way out. By the time Mick slips into a garish tuxedo, Ray has managed to win us over. Each character has been imbued with a warmth that will no doubt award repeat viewings.
Bizarre, over-the-top, and perfectly unique, Bad Haircut still manages to save room for delightfully gory surprises. The tonal shifts play like a peppy grindhouse crowd-pleaser. Filmmaker Kyle Misak proves he understands how to handle the wildest twists of the plot. His careful balance of unpredictable horror and sweet coming-of-age elements are a near-perfect pairing. Memorable and a total delight, Bad Haircut will make you think twice about your next visit to the salon.
Bad Haircut trims up its world premiere at 2025’s Fantastic Fest.
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