We're So Dead

‘What truly sets We’re So Dead apart from other “killer Karen” fare is its unmistakable authenticity. Director Ken MacLaughlin, an award-winning filmmaker and former longtime server, clearly knows this world inside and out. The script overflows with pitch-perfect service industry references, from stolen pens and endless smoke breaks to hilariously passive-aggressive slogans like “We Romaine the Best.” Every detail, from the chalkboard specials to the groan-worthy wordplay (“now the tables have turned”), is a clever, affectionate nod to restaurant life that will have anyone who’s ever worked a shift feeling seen—and laughing. It’s hard not to love a film this self-aware and committed to its bit. Think of it as Airplane! meets Friday the 13th, with a cast of characters who feel plucked straight from your last dinner shift‘

‘More than anything, We’re So Dead is a hoot ‘n a half with carnage candy tossed in for good measure. Ken MacLaughlin crafts such a delightfully campy smorgasbord that’ll easily make the yearly Christmas horror rotation. It’s got all the good stuff and does everything right. It’d fit right at home alongside classic ’80s slashers like Happy Birthday to Me and Blood Rage. As far as independent cinema goes, this is the cream of the crop.‘