Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: THE RESTORATION OF GRAYSON MANOR [Fantastic Fest 2025 - Austin, Texas]
The aspect of gay-themed horror is an interesting point for construction. Mixing it with a bit of comedy is another thing. Ryan Murphy in his own way with "American Horror Story" has found a way to balance tone in this way. That is why it is welcome surprise to see Chris Colfer, known in his earlier years for "Glee", headlining a horror that is part "Mommie Dearest" and part pseudo-body horror comedy. "The Restoration Of Grayson Manor" which was originally called "Transplant" according to director Glenn McQuaid during the Q&A says that this story was a play against the heteronormative culture that he grew up with in Ireland where it was hard for him to be who he was. But he also loved horror film. He wanted to give a voice to his perspective but with this love of other things, specifically soap opera (he named checked "Falcon Crest" and "Dallas" during the introduction). As a result, the film carries an interesting tone that keeps his identity and voice but it does abruptly shift at one point before turning back. The anti-thesis to Colfer character Boyd is his mother Jacqueline (played by former Borg Queen Alice Krige). She has one idea in mind but they trade quips and while the cuts are inherently vicious you can tell that the actors underneath are playing it with glee. Colfer gives it a little more camp while Krige keeps it a bit colder with just a wisp of sarcasm. A specific accident starts the bowl rolling at the beginning where a trio of hospital specialists come in to treat his wounds. (He lost his hands when mirror glass cut them off).
A mad scientist Dr. Tannock (Daniel Adegboyega) begins building a nanotechnology-fueled prosthetic which (you guessed it) have minds of their own and cause havoc. The one side story that is interesting but almost darker in context is with Claudia (Gabriela Garcia Vargas) whose character has trauma, tries drugs she shouldn't, sees ghost and also has one of the more physical roles which again plays against the idea of the hierarchy. Colfer gets the tone initially until he has to shift (and he does it well). I wonder if he ever did it on "American Horror Story." Once he jumps into mode he is quite good but that is a much different movie. This movie for the most part wants to be soap opera but it seems torn between that and just being a vicious horror movie. The problem is that if you did that the mother and son would be completely unlikable. The resolution though offers a great cinematic superlative. The dialogue at the beginning tries to be bad on purpose and play with tropes. But it is still uneven despite having more wonderful zingers through. But the camp aspect never fully engages like the horror does at the end. There is nothing pretty about it. It is grotesque but in its own motley kind of way where it was always supposed to end where it began. B-
By Tim Wassberg
