SMALLS LOVES LO

 Lo is an extremely different kind of Rom-Com. It's gruesome, bizarre, and completely unique. In Lo, sad-sack Justin (Ward Roberts) loses the girl of his dreams April (Sarah Lassez) when she is forcibly dragged to hell by demon Jeez (Devin Barry). Devastated, angry, and desperate, Justin summons a demon named Lo (Jeremiah Birkett) to help him rescue her. As their quest drags on, Justin realizes that there may be more to April than meets the eye.

I really hate calling this film a rom-com, I feel that labeling this film as such is doing the film a great disservice. However, at the end of the day Lo is indeed a rom-com but it doesn't feel like one, after all....how many rom-coms deal with demons, torture, and hell?

Most actors do a pretty great job here. Ward Roberts as Justin is likeable and pathetic (exactly as he should be....though he does pull an Ash from The Evil Dead a bit too often), Sarah Lassez as April is hot and quirky, and Devin Barry as Jeez is surprisingly wacky for a demon. By far though, the best character and the main reason to see this film is Lo. Jeremiah Birkett is simply fantastic as the titular demon. He's funny when he needs to be, extremely likable, and also manages to be pretty scary at some points. You never know whose side he's really on or what his real game is and that's one of the reasons you just can't take your eyes off him. He is a joy to watch and is absolutely awesome.

The makeup and effects for the demons are pretty good too, managing to be pretty gruesome and disgusting. This film definitely does not shy away from the darker aspects of the story as well, a plus. That said, the film does try to balance things out by throwing in some real wackiness that at times just doesn't gel with the rest of the film (like a demon musical number and a bickering couple that has been condemned to be tortured in hell for all eternity).

Lo is a refreshingly different kind of film. I can honestly say that I've never seen anything quite like it, and how often can you say that about a film these days? While some of the comedy is just too wacky, most of the film works really well due to a great core story and the titular character of Lo. What's more, it actually has some genuine emotion and a fantastic and satisfying ending as well. I'm happy to say that Lo is a real winner. Seek this film out and watch it, I'd bet you will be glad you did.

4 STARS