Forget Misery: Rachel Dratch’s Movie Gives Obsessive Fandom a Darkly Funny Twist
A fan meets her idol
Written and directed by Jason Laurits, Loves Company stars Dratch as Antionette Funk, a Florida outcast and the last remaining fan of Blake de Troy, a once-famous game show personality. Blake is rescued by Antionette after a car crash and ends up in her creepy rural home in the Everglades. He thinks she has kidnapped him, but with his partner Jimmy dead and the world having moved on, he has nowhere else to go.
An uneasy arrangement
Antionette is happy to cater to Blake’s needs, but he takes advantage of her attention and becomes a pest. Their back-and-forth centers on Blake trying to use what he calls his kidnapping to his advantage. The film’s setup turns obsessive fandom into an uncomfortable comic situation: Antionette has her idol close at hand, while Blake resists the care she offers.
The exclusive clip
In the clip, Blake runs to Antionette’s car with a cut on his cheek. When she asks where he got the money, he admits he stole it from her to buy drugs.
The moment highlights Dratch’s stressed performance as Antionette and Plotnick’s comic timing as Blake. The cast also includes Sarah Baker of The Kominsky Method and Bryan Batt of Mad Men.
Key points
- Rachel Dratch plays Antionette Funk, the devoted fan of Blake de Troy.
- Jack Plotnick plays Blake, a faded game show host rescued after a car crash.
- Blake believes Antionette has kidnapped him, though he has nowhere else to go.
- The cast includes Sarah Baker and Bryan Batt.