Reviews: Butt Boy (2019) Movie Review
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Exploring Butt Boy (2019) through our review, we cover its story, scares, and how it fits into the broader horror genre landscape.
Butt Boy, directed by Tyler Cornack, is one of those rare indie films that sounds like a crude joke but plays like a straight-faced psychological thriller. The film revolves around Chip Gutchell, a bored IT technician and recovering alcoholic who, after a routine prostate exam, develops a bizarre and uncontrollable obsession—he begins "disappearing" objects, animals, and even people into his rectum. This outlandish premise is treated with eerie seriousness, turning what could’ve been slapstick comedy into an unsettling, genre-defying experience.
Butt Boy (2019) – A Deadpan Descent into Absurdist Sci-Fi Horror
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
At its core, Butt Boy explores themes of addiction, guilt, repression, and the hollow routines of suburban life. Chip’s descent mirrors that of a traditional serial killer arc, masked by the outrageous supernatural twist. Opposite Chip is Detective Russell Fox, a gritty, no-nonsense cop battling his own demons, who slowly begins to uncover the unthinkable truth behind a string of disappearances. Their escalating cat-and-mouse dynamic lends the film a compelling tension, even as the premise threatens to spiral into farce.
Acting and Cinematography
Tyler Cornack himself plays Chip, delivering a surprisingly restrained and internalized performance. He avoids cartoonish overacting and instead leans into deadpan melancholy, portraying a man so disconnected from the world that his bizarre addiction seems to make perfect sense—at least to him. Tyler Rice, as Detective Fox, brings gritty intensity to the role, grounding the film’s escalating absurdity with a believable noir sensibility.
Cinematographer William Morean deserves credit for the film’s unique visual tone. The muted, sterile palette and deliberate framing create a stark world devoid of warmth—echoing Chip’s emotional emptiness. The camera lingers in unsettling stillness, often echoing the style of 1970s crime thrillers, which contrasts brilliantly with the ludicrous plot. These choices elevate Butt Boy beyond its premise and establish an uncomfortable tone that’s hard to shake.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Tyler Cornack’s direction is bold, confident, and surprisingly refined for a film of this nature. He walks a tightrope between high-concept absurdity and serious genre filmmaking, never winking at the audience. That commitment is the film’s greatest strength—it refuses to treat its premise as a punchline and instead leans into its own weird logic.
However, this tonal balancing act isn’t flawless. The film occasionally struggles to maintain suspense in its midsection, and the pacing stutters as it stretches its 100-minute runtime. While the absurd premise is its hook, it also limits its emotional range and can leave viewers unsure whether to laugh, squirm, or reflect. Some thematic threads—like the metaphor of addiction—could have been developed further, especially as the climax tips toward over-the-top horror.
Strengths:
Deadpan tone gives the bizarre story unexpected gravity
Unique premise stands out in a crowded indie horror landscape
Solid lead performances, especially Cornack and Rice
Stylish cinematography evokes gritty thrillers from past decades
Surprising thematic depth, exploring addiction and emotional repression
Weaknesses:
Pacing issues in the second act weaken the momentum
Limited emotional payoff despite strong setup
Tone may alienate viewers, especially those expecting comedy
Some metaphors undercooked, lacking full exploration
Absurd premise requires major suspension of disbelief
Final Verdict & Score: 6/10
Butt Boy is a wildly original film that plays its absurd concept completely straight—and that’s exactly what makes it so memorable. Though it may not hit every beat perfectly, it’s a standout entry in the realm of low-budget, high-concept horror-thrillers. For those open to weird, deadpan storytelling with a surprisingly introspective core, this film is worth the ride—awkward glances and all.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- Butt Boy Rating Scores
- Our Score: 6/10
- Overall Score: 6.23/10
- MetaCritic: 5.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 7.1/10
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