‘Borderline’ Review – An Unsettling Yet Darkly Funny Tale of Obsession

While it might be in poor taste to draw humor from stalking and obsession, writer and director Jimmy Warden (this film is his directorial debut) does just that with Borderline, a tale of one man’s unhealthy and unhinged fixation on a famous pop star. Mental health advocates might balk at how one’s borderline personality disorder is portrayed in the film because it does so in a very broad manner, but for what it lacks in a genuine assessment of mental illness, it makes up for with its darkly hilarious approach to toxic fandoms. In some ways, Borderline presents itself as a home invasion thriller mixed with a very offbeat rom-com in which the love affair exists only in the mind of the man who has made this particular celebrity the target of his obsession. Keep in mind, Warden also penned Cocaine Bear, which functioned at its best when it wasn’t taken too seriously and the same can be said about his latest effort.

Borderline is set in Los Angeles in the 1990s and opens with a prologue that showcases the derangement of Paul Duerson (Ray Nicholson), an obsessive fan of a pop star named Sofia (Samara Weaving). As he stands at her front door greeted by her reliable bodyguard Bell (Eric Dane), it’s clear that this isn’t the first time that Duerson has tried to make contact with Sofia. Bell tries to talk him down in a calm manner until the matter turns into one of self-harm. Duerson believes, in his mind, that he has some kind of connection and relationship with Sofia, and the prologue ends in a deadly manner with Bell stabbed and Duerson free to roam Sofia’s home, with one moment showing him hilariously soaking up in her tub.

As we soon learn, Bell survived the incident, and Duerson was sent to a mental institution, where he continued to stew over his fixation with Sofia. The bulk of the film takes place one night following Duerson’s escape from his mental health facility alongside fellow inmate Penny (Alba Baptista), a girl he hilariously calls his assistant as if he’s some kind of celebrity in this one-sided love story. Duerson ultimately shows up at Sofia’s mansion with the delusion that they’re going to get married. As Bell tries to keep him out and Sofia’s current sexual conquest Rhodes (Jimmie Falls) just wants to go home, Paul forces himself into Sofia’s home and desperately tries to pull off a dream ceremony with a woman who definitely doesn’t share his same affection.

Borderline is pretty bare-bones at a slim 94 minutes, but the plot being so lean works in its favor. The movie doesn’t waste time getting to the point, knowing that the main thrill is watching how Duerson tries to execute his plan of the perfect wedding to Sofia and his attempts to convince her they’re meant to be as the situation grows more and more chaotic. Borderline is at its best as we watch everyone involved navigate a doozy of a situation, and it all proves to be pretty exciting because its direction is pretty unpredictable. The plot may appear straightforward but it does offer some unexpected beats. Since the film does open with a snipper of “the wedding,” the audience knows it takes place in some fashion, but how it all proceeds is ultimately surprising, and it’s matched by how Sofia and the other hapless individuals involved try to put a wrench in Duerson’s plan. Anything goes in this film and that leads to some big laughs, even if some of it is pretty dark in the process.

Even though Weaving might be the selling point here because she has, rightfully so, become a bit of a genre queen thanks to turns in Ready or Not, The Babysitter, and other efforts, it’s Nicholson (son of Jack) that steals the show as Duerson. He could’ve easily played the character as a caricature since, on paper, the role is rather cartoonish, but Nicholson also finds the humanity in Duerson. Even though it’s completely insane, he believes that he does have feelings for Sofia and he makes the audience believe it too, no matter how off the wall it may be. It’s interesting that between this viewing and seeing him play a different kind of villain of sorts in Novocaine the following day, it’s clear that Nicholson isn’t just riding on his dad’s last name. He is a true talent and isn’t deserving of the nepo baby label that has become associated with children who break into acting with famous relatives. You can see shades of his father in his look and performance but he’s proving to be one to watch in his own right.

Weaving is also top-notch with her deadpan portrayal of Sofia. You buy her as a celebrity/pop star and most of her performance shines due to how Weaving reacts to the situation around her. She essentially has to play Duerson in the sense that she needs to appear she’s going along with his intentions while also trying to find a way out of it. It’s not as showy of a performance as Nicholson’s but they work well together and both have an understanding of the absurdity of the film’s plot. Dane is dutifully reliable as Sofia’s bodyguard while Falls is mostly flat until a moment at the end that pays off with a big laugh. It becomes clear that Sofia’s latest conquest had to play things calm throughout the film to land a big comedic moment that had me laughing out loud.

Borderline will work for audiences if they don’t look too deeply into the film’s narrative. There is a deeper story to be told here about obsession and the weight that regular people put on celebrities and how that’s completely unreasonable but that isn’t the movie’s intention. It’s not meant to be a straightforward cautionary tale but if you sit back and enjoy it for its craziness, over-the-top violence, witty screenplay and its more than game ensemble cast, Borderline is just the entertainment you’ve been looking for.

Borderline is now playing in select theaters and is now available on PVOD.