As always, any horror film among the festival lineup is a no-brainer for me. Recently acquired by IFC Films ahead of its festival debut, the simple premise headbutted me into submission: a dog breeder secretly breeds humans, eugenics-style, at her secluded ranch. We love a socially relevant genre flick that feels plucked straight from the news. An ominous, disturbing horror gem, Breeder makes a towering icon from Glee’s Dot-Marie Jones. Writer/director Alex Goyette builds a constant sense of dread, where the mere presence of the titular breeder at the core can send shivers down one’s spine. Dark humor mixes potently into this strange concoction, fine-tuning it into a twisted delight.
The always-engaging Daniel Doheny (Alex Strangelove, The Package) serves as our central protagonist, Russell, an MIT dropout desperate to secure grant money for his passion project saving rare bees from extinction. The chance of a lifetime arises when an elusive, award-winning poodle breeder reaches out, promising Russell major money if he will meet up with her for a dinner first. After convincing his fiancée (Tanaya Beatty) to ignore red flags and let him at least go for an initial meeting, Russell quickly learns that Patti’s proposal comes with a major caveat.
The caveat in question? Patti will fully fund Russell’s entire project, so long as he agrees to be her new “stud” and mate with one of her “bitch” adopted children. The revelation comes during a tense dinner conversation, and to say anxiety-prone Russell gets flustered would be an understatement. Still, after some coaxing from the extremely persuasive Ainsley (Maddie Phillips), Russell decides to stay on Patti’s compound despite his greater instincts. The shocking request would be enough to make any sane person immediately back out, but for Russell, this bee project is important, environmentally impactful work that requires a serious commitment. He makes a deal with Ainsley about faking their tryst. Will Patti really be that easy to fool?
Patti’s insane rules include calling her “Chief” while working for her, a strict 9:00 P.M. curfew, and of course, copulation during the precious ovulation cycle. The movie is filled with all sorts of twisted surprises, always existing with a darkened comedy edge. Daniel Doheney does a terrific job playing things straight while trying to outsmart Patti in the process. As Ainsley, Phillips brings a lightness to her work, with her intentions being murky at first as Russell questions who he can trust. Phillips was great in the cancelled-too-soon Gen V, so seeing her in the genre space was a pleasant surprise given the previous breadth of her scene-stealing performance.
Rather than relying strictly on blood and gore, Breeder instead leans on the strength of its ensemble cast. The cat-and-mouse element to Russell and Patti’s interactions make each of them charged with a dangerous energy. Dot-Marie Jones plays Patti as a hulking menace, with a semblance of humanity lurking underneath the surface. As more layers are revealed to Patti’s grander schemes, her motivations are also called into question. There are often hilarious sequences of awkward cringe comedy that only work so well due to Dot-Marie’s devotion to her oddball character and the clever writing behind it.
An eerie orchestral score keeps the tension building. There is never a dull moment, and my heart was racing the entire time. Even though they are match-made by Patti, Ainsley and Russell are two characters you actually root for to escape from her domineering clutches. Of course, the grander ideas about eugenics and selecting only the worthy to breed a superior species is creepy enough before anything genuinely scary happens onscreen. The mirrored idea of Patti’s inherent biases and the ability of her character to stay at a cold distance from her subjects chills to the bone.
In the end, Russell is deeply flawed. Yet, we still root for him to escape from his awful prison. Full frontal male nudity is utilized multiple times in the film. This adds an extra layer of objectification and dehumanization that really works to underline the grander themes of Breeder. The genre elements are very well done, containing strokes of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Wrong Turn. There are multiple extremely creepy moments, and even some body horror that peaks out in the latter half of the film.
The single setting location being a ranch house is perfect for ratcheting up the tension. Patti’s compound feels deeply foreboding well before she lays down her strange rules. Dog paraphernalia and decor can be found in nearly every shot. The attention to detail on a production design level is particularly impressive. Patti’s dog obsession runs deep. She also runs her operation like a well-oiled machine, perfect at manipulations and gaslighting.
From beginning to end, even the implications of Patti’s presence are enough to cut deep. Goyette’s twisted script builds to a shocking crescendo of a finale. If anything can be learned from its larger themes, Breeder appears to cynically suggest that if we conform to societal ideals, we can have it all. Eugenics are controversial for a reason, and Patti’s steadfast devotion to her cause paints her as a devout believer. Take a seat at Patti’s dinner table to get treated to a seriously satisfying slice of indie horror excellence.
Breeder debuted at 2026’s Tribeca Film Festival.
