Lisa Frankenstein

"If you can't meet your perfect boyfriend…make him."

2024 1h 42m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 630

HorrorComedyRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1989, a misunderstood teenager has a high school crush — who just happens to be a handsome corpse! After a set of playfully horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness…and a few missing body parts along the way.

“If you can't meet your perfect boyfriend…make him.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Kathryn Newton
Lisa
Cole Sprouse
The Creature
Liza Soberano
Taffy
Henry Eikenberry
Michael Trent
Joe Chrest
Dale Swallows
Carla Gugino
Janet
Joey Harris
Tamara
Bryce Romero
Doug

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Zelda Williams
Writers: Diablo Cody
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Zelda Williams, shot by Paula Huidobro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Isabella Summers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Brad Turner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse and Liza Soberano carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "If you can't meet your perfect boyfriend…make him.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt21188080 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Zelda Williams directs. Paula Huidobro behind the camera. Isabella Summers scores. Brad Turner cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 2 years ago.
3Directed by Zelda Williams, shot by Paula Huidobro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Isabella Summers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Brad Turner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse and Liza Soberano carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "If you can't meet your perfect boyfriend…make him.".
8IMDB entry: tt21188080 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 18 themes, including "high school", "cemetery", "halloween", "dark comedy".

The technical file

Cinematography: Paula Huidobro
Original score: Isabella Summers
Editing: Brad Turner
Production design: Mark Worthington
Costume design: Meagan McLaughlin
Makeup / hair: Jonny Bullard
VFX supervisor: Scott Winston
Sound: Lewis Goldstein
Stunt coordinator: Chelsea Bruland
Runtime: 102 min · 1h 42m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $13,400,000
Box office: $9,927,714
Return: 74% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Also by

Zelda Williams

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2024-02-07
★ 5/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/lisa-frankenstein-review-theres-no-middle-ground/ "Lisa Frankenstein marks my first disappointment of the year. The youthful cast wholeheartedly embraces their campy roles, infusing deliberately exaggerated emotions and expressiveness for an evening of light entertainment with the promised levels of blood and 'macabreness'. Sadly, the screenplay lacks the same commitment to the absurd, resulting in tonal and thematic inconsistencies throughout a narrative less imaginative than anticipated. The ensuing indifference and uncertainty regarding the film's point and message leave a bittersweet taste..." Rating: C
BornKnight2024-03-02
★ 7/10
Horror-Comedy (not the opposite) directed by Zelda Willians in her full feature film, and written by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) that tells the story of a grief stricken teenager who had her mother slaughtered, and lives now with an abusive mother-in-law and a lovely sister-in-law. Kathryn Newton as Lisa is perfect for her role. Stigmatized by her past and actions the is the black swan of the school, and passes a lot of time in a old cemetery (watch the credits animation closely) of the 19th century on a tomb of another teenager that died with a green lighting into 1837. The movie emulates the 80's teenage romance-comedies (it passes in 89), in a light way till a certain previsible point - for sure it isn't as sugary as you may think to those who wonder. And have an unsuspected ending. I think it was worth for some laughs on a weekend night - I score it 6,6 out of 10,0 / B for the fun.
CinemaSerf2024-03-04
★ 6/10
"Lisa" (Kathryn Newton) is a bit of a loner who lives in one of those second families where her rather feeble dad (Joe Chrest) has married the rather vain and odious "Janet" (Carla Gugino) who has a friendly daughter "Taffy" (Liza Soberano). At school, she has taken a shine to floppy-haired heart-throb "Michael" (Henry Einkenberry) and he seems to be a little interested too. Might romance blossom? Suddenly a lightening strike changes everything. The long-dead occupant of a grave she habitually sits beside when she is reading (Cole Sprouse) is electronically reinvigorated and finds his way into her home, her wardrobe and now, as with "ET", she has her own secret creature in the closet. Thing is, there are bits of her new friend missing - his ear, his tongue, his hand (that's not a comprehensive list!) - so the ensuing escapades mix science with comedy and some good old doses of vengeance as they try to restore him to his former, piano playing, glory. It could have been much more fun, this, if it had committed to the audience one way or the other. It's clearly gone for a wide appeal and so compromised on the darkness and adult nature of the humour. Many of the scenarios - especially at the the rather brutal and eye-watering conclusion, could have worked so much better had Zelda Williams aimed the movie more at those who could appreciate the dark comedy rather than dilute it down to something akin to a frat-comedy. It's better than I was expecting, and Newton does fine as the film progresses, it's just a shame it didn't really know were to go or who it was for.