‘Hemet, Or The Landlady Don’t Drink Tea’ Review – Zany And Wild B-Movie Is Quite Topical

There is something liberating about a film that feels free to let loose. Here is one that embraces absurdity without cringe or a two-faced smile. Some films are destined for cult classic status, though that title usually comes after years of underground appreciation. However, it is safe to say Hemet, or The Landlady Don’t Drink Tea, embraces cult status right out of the gate, like a badge of honor. This film is unlikely to work for everyone, but it is so outrageous and bluntly absurd that you cannot help but crack a smile at its at times delirious, somehow sincere attempt to poke fun at the world we find ourselves in.

The world is over, or it just happens to be another Monday. After an epidemic rips through the world, the result is a zombie uprising or some post-apocalyptic catastrophe! The story is set in Hemet, California, at the home of a tyrannical landlady, Liz (Brian Patrick Butler). She lords over her tenants with an iron fist, making life even more miserable during the epidemic. She pits everyone against each other. The result leads to a growing effort to overthrow her once and for all. At the same time, paranoia and conspiracies run rampant, creating a vexing web of confusion.

The film is tongue-in-cheek from the opening. We learn that the epidemic is turning bath salt users into ravenous cannibals, creating an us-versus-them paradigm. “Bums into George Romero extras.” The film never takes itself too seriously, but through its profanity and dark humor, it offers slivers of uncomfortable, timely truths that reflect the sad state of our world today. 

Greed and avarice run amok. The tenets of “love thy neighbor” are out the window in favor of every man for themselves. Something eerily similar to the world presented here exists. While it is a farce in the movie, one cannot help but recall scenes from the early days of the pandemic in 2020, as people locked in, locked down, and raised a clenched fist, rather than extending an open hand. Hemet may cut too close for some who would rather ignore the painful memories of the last six years, but as we look outside our window, the truth this film masks in comedy is sadly more present than ever.

At the core of the film is the tyrannical despot, Landlady. Played in drag by Butler, who also wrote the film. Liz is the film’s standout character, mostly because Butler plays her as though this were Shakespeare. Despite a micro-budget, indie, almost guerrilla vibe, Liz is a heavy right out of central casting. Certainly, a darkly comedic performance, but again, like much of the film, one wrapped in truth. This one happens to be an old biddie, hurling out invective and pitting her tenants against each other like puppets on a string she maneuvers. 

A strait-laced B-movie quality keeps the film from ever reaching mainstream status, but that still isn’t a deterrent. A movie like this can have its cake and eat it too. At its core, the message is deeply critical of the political system, which, as we can see in the real world, has been more than a letdown. But it also takes a slingshot aim at capitalism itself. It derides the very system that prioritized profits over people during the pandemic and continues to strip away matters of dignity and worth from those exploited by that very system.

Now, not all of the film works. The absurdity and zig-zagging plot will be a tough watch for some. Also, the general unruliness of the characters and situation may stretch even those with a high tolerance for incredulity to the max. The satirical nature and political commentary are there for those who want to engage. Still, for those looking for a film that is blatant in its creative flexes and maximizes its delicious delirium, then Hemet is certain to be a home run.

The messaging feels like a kitchen-sink approach. However, with the singular performance of a wide-eyed, tyrannical granny with a penchant for their own greatness, there is a lot to revel in and enjoy. 

Hemet, or The Landlady Don’t Drink Tea, is now available on VOD courtesy of Bayview Entertainment. 

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