Maybe people wouldn't have been so hard on this film if it featured a fictional protagonist. Most people coming into this movie are familiar with the Dahmer case and therefore expecting gruesome gore or condemn this movie as "humanizing" him and refuse to accept it. That's just the thing though...Dahmer WAS a human. He had a slow but unyielding descent into madness that this movie captures perfectly. After Dahmer's first killing, done seemingly because he was hurt and embarrassed that his bizarre homosexual flirting backfired, we see him cringe and look away as he cuts up the man. Then, after he loads the bags up in the car and drives away to dispose of them, he gets stopped by a policeman. Jeffrey manages to lie his way out of the situation but when he returns home is visibly shaken and begins sobbing on his couch. It's an unsympathetic moment; he still killed a man, after all, but it shows that maybe he wasn't always a monster. Maybe he did have a conscience, but the isolation that resulted from being unable to express his demented fantasies overtook his capacity for normality. The film is intertwined skillfully between scenes that show Dahmer as an awkward, maladjusted teen who earns our empathy, and horrific glimpses of his lurid secret life. There is one scene in particular that just stands out as absolutely jarring considering the macabre nature in comparison to the background, in which the Dahmer family gets ready for church. I've heard people complain about this film not being gory enough, which I find odd. The few scenes we get of Dahmer's crime are terrible enough, just enough to contrast the shy, soft-spoken man we've seen earlier without bordering on camp. We already know Dahmer did horrible things; but, all too often we forget that he was just a son, a neighbor, a coworker to somebody too. Part of the reason this movie's subtlety works is the phenomenal directing and acting. I love the look of this movie. It has the feel of a dingy, cheap '80s porno movie, and the dedication to the look of the period is astounding. I also love the flashback sequences in this movie. It perfectly encapsulates Dahmer trying to justify his emotions that led to these gruesome acts, and if you aren't paying attention you won't notice Dahmer's almost incessant drinking, showing further how far he's sunk into the abyss. part of the reason this movie is so stirring is because of the pitch-perfect acting. Jeremy Renner is absolutely phenomenal here--he has Dahmer's mannerisms, voice, and emotions down to an eerie tee. He has an indescribable eroticism about him that makes his scenes with his targets captivating and scandalous. It seriously might be one of the most jaw-dropping performances I've ever seen. His planned victim Rodney, played by Artel Kayaru, is also great and brings heat and drama to a movie that might stick a bit close to the mundane and non-theatrical at times.Pros: phenomenal acting; sinister, understated aura that makes it a masterpiece of psychological horror.Cons: I actually wish this movie was a bit longer. I feel like some extra scenes exploring Dahmer's psyche could've pushed this movie to a complete 10. Also, it does sort of eroticize Dahmer's crimes, which is a sticky moral issue I'm not discussing in an IMDb review.In conclusion: Great understated psychological horror film, it's worth a view if you're interested in the Dahmer case at all or are at least open to the idea of opening your mind on a subject in which there's usually only one narrative.

--Warning Spoilers--I've seen this movie 5 years ago for the first time and it had a huge impact on me! This movie became one of my favorite movies of all time and I'm still shocked that this movie scored into a 5 and not higher. This movie had everything there should be and to my saying it absolutely perfect! The way dahmer got portrayed from inside and outside couldn't have been better. Jeremy Renner looks A lot like dahmer i have to say even in the scenes he plays as young jeff dahmer it looks exactly how it should be. The movie leaves you feeling extremely empty and even sorry for dahmer. In total i must've watched it like 6 times and it still amazes me how good of a movie this is even though it was low-budget!

I'm sure readers will find flaws with what I say, but I'm mostly interested in making sure people watch this movie as a case study rather than an entertaining horror film, which it is not. Jeremy Renner does an amazing job in this film, and he brings Dahmer to life in a haunting, sympathetic way.Serial killer movies are fascinating to me because they study the mind of human beings whose brains aren't wired right. I agree with those who said if you wanted a gore-fest in this movie that you'd be disappointed. But as a case study of a troubled young man who turns to horrible acts to feel good, this movie is interesting. I'm getting my masters in counseling, and when I watch movies like this one, I always find the interactions with the family interesting. Many people have said that Jeffrey Dahmer had a "good upbringing", so why did he turn out so weird? In my opinion, he was born with faulty wiring when it comes to figuring out good and bad, and then he was basically neglected by his family. He did not have a loving family and a good upbringing. His parents know he's strange, but instead of helping him become a better human being, they abandon him. How was he supposed to learn about healthy relationships that way? And battling with his homosexuality on top of that, he didn't have a chance to ever feel happy without some serious help.Overall, I thought the movie was well done. In my opinion, the flashback method gives the viewer the sense of loss-of-control that many sociopaths feel. The scenes where he uses the drugged men as romantic partners, not necessarily just for sex, are uncomfortable, for sure, but they also show Jeffrey's longing for love. He obviously thinks that he would never get romantic attention unless he drugs the men he desires. But the viewer can also see his struggle with this. On the other hand, I wish the movie had gone back to his childhood more. His father is obviously aware that Jeffrey is strange, considering the scene with the mannequin. But how long had his father thought Jeffrey had problems? What had he done in the past to show Jeffrey the revulsion for his own son? Another aspect I find interesting is about Jeffrey's relationships. Sure, he had the one-time deals when he drugged men in the bar, but he also tried to have relationship with people on a recurring basis. He wanted so badly to be a social person and to have relationships, both romantic and platonic, but he had no idea how to actually do that, so he eventually followed his basic urges every time.I think this movie is a sad drama that takes a difficult look at someone who didn't get the help and love he needed when he was younger. Would he have turned out differently if he had gotten those things? We can only wonder and use him as an example of what can happen when mental illness goes unchecked.

I saw this film a few years ago, The final scene showed Dahmer disemboweling one of his victims and having sex with the body. Just watched this again and that was no longer in the film. Doing a search shows this version seems to have disappeared with only a trace at amazon.co.uk Very unusual for there to be no record of this on IMDb or WikipediA. Made the film that much more disturbing. I wouldn't say that should be a deal-breaker because I would recommend this film for Renners portrayal and performance. I will say that the movie really let me down the second time viewing due to the total lack of gore that the UNCUT version provided.