Press
"Ross Lynch, in a blond mop of hair and wearing aviators, gives a breakthrough performance...a warped wonder of a movie."
"Mesmerizing…mysterious, sad, even funny, and eventually terrifying."
NPR – November 2, 2017 – "Portrait Of The Killer As A Young Man: 'My Friend Dahmer'"
"It's a nuanced and sad high school movie, a portrait of lonely, damaged youth that only gradually reveals itself as the origin story of a psychopath."
"Ross Lynch gives a thoughtful performance in this serial-killer origin story."
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER – October 26, 2017 - 'My Friend Dahmer': Film Review
"In its fusion of craft and narrative, My Friend Dahmer is exquisite. In its portrayal of Jeff's agonies, it can be excruciating. Meyers ends the movie on a chilling note, showing us the moment when a young man steers the toxic mess of his life onto a path that can only be called evil. The film is an experience that's not easily shaken."
VARIETY – APRIL 28, 2017: “Tribeca Film Review: ‘My Friend Dahmer’” by Owen Gleiberman
"A serious and audacious attempt to dramatize the inner life of a sick puppy when he wasn’t quite so sick… My Friend Dahmer is disturbingly compelling and original … the movie that Gus Van Sant’s Elephant wanted to be: a humanizing dissection of teen psychosis."
"'My Friend Dahmer,' one of the buzziest titles out of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, has landed a North American distribution deal. In a statement, Meyers thanked Backderf for entrusting him with the story. 'It’s a powerful book, which has deeply resonated with loads of people of many ages here and abroad,' he said. 'When we first met, he signed my hardcover copy, Don’t f**k it up!!!, Derf.'"
"'Marc has created a haunting, heartbreaking, and totally unexpected exploration of one of the most notorious figures in American crime history,' said Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, in a statement. 'We are beyond thrilled to bring this powerful film—and Ross Lynch’s incredible performance as Dahmer—to audiences in the fall.'"
SCREENDAILY – APRIL 24, 2017: "My Friend Dahmer: Tribeca Review” by David D'Arcy
"Every psycho-killer franchise needs a prequel, even the saga of Jeffrey Dahmer … This clever and eerie adaptation of a 2012 graphic memoir takes us back to the days before the body count. Director Marc Meyers has found a vein of Americana to explore—the oddness of a high school misfit (Ross Lynch) who mostly seemed awkwardly normal—no zombies or slashers, just a dark premonitory twist on High School Confidential. It’s the portrait of a serial killer as a young man."
"Ross Lynch gives a haunted, sad, scary, and unforgettable performance as young (future serial killer) Jeffrey Dahmer in this electrifying film by Marc Meyers … Truly one of the best films I’ve seen in some time."
DEN OF GEEK! – MAY 1, 2017 REVIEW
"Marc Meyers’ innovative look at a serial killer as a high school outcast is a welcome twist on the genre."
"Okay, so maybe he's not your best friend. But graphic novelist Derf Backderf did go to high school with future serial killer and 70s teen loner Jeffrey Dahmer. Writer-Director Marc Meyers turns Backderf's celebrated book into an absorbing, dramatized portrait of casual cruelty and teenage desperation, equal parts The Virgin Suicides and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This movie isn't an apology. It's better than that—a window into the making of a monster."
"Disney Channel star Ross Lynch (Teen Beach Movie) takes an uncanny turn against type as infamous serial Jeffrey Dahmer in this drama based on acclaimed graphic novel by Derf Backderf, who knew Dahmer in high school. The 21-year-old Lynch is sure to be one of Tribeca's biggest breakouts."