The Shudder feature “Breeder” written and directed by Alex Goyette was that welcome discovery: a horror movie with an original message that posed some interesting questions. I also liked the fact that it did not go  overboard on the gore. From the same people that gave us “The Babadook,” that was perhaps not so surprising. It is Goyette’s feature debut with IFC and Shudder; “Breeder” is very good. The movie treated the entire subject of eugenics in a thought-provoking way.

So, what is eugenics, you may say?

Eugenics is the theory and practice of attempting to improve the genetic composition of a human population through selective breeding. Eugenics was described as scientifically discredited and a morally discredited theory.

Core Definition & Etymology

  • Origin: The term was coined in 1883 by British explorer and statistician Sir Francis Galton, derived from Greek roots meaning “well born”.
  • Premise: Early proponents believed that human traits—including intelligence, poverty, criminality, and mental illness—were entirely hereditary and could be controlled to “perfect” humankind.

“Breeder” LOG-LINE: “An eccentric poodle breeder lures a broke college student to her remote ranch with the promise of research funding.  But, as he soon learns, there’s a catch.”

“Breeder” at the Nashville Film Festival from IFC and Shudder.

PATTI KOLB

The eccentric poodle breeder is portrayed by Dot-Marie Jones as Patti Kolb, a wounded woman whose lack of a loving attentive mother to give her the attention she craved has given her some serious psychological problems. Patti has taken poodle breeding all the way to the top of that game, but Mommy didn’t wait around to validate her daughter’s success. Dot-Marie Jones as a screwed-up matriarch with barely disguised homicidal tendencies gives Kathy Bates a run for her money. In all fairness, Jones is a three-time Emmy nominee from her days on “Glee” as Shannon Beiste back in 2010.

Now, Patti has adopted a bevy of daughters, researching the potential daughters to find the very best breeders in the bunch. She wants to create perfect people, mimicing her efforts to create perfect poodles. We meet her daughters Ainsley, Celeste, Yara, Angela, Cindy and Manon around the dining room table and one reassures the out-of-his-element Russell “We are not a cult.”

The most important members of the daughter group will be Ainsley (Tanaya Beatty), Yara (Lillian Doucet-Roche) and Manon (Isla Spencer). Ainsley has an I.Q. of 160 and is the daughter who gets closest to Russell.

Yara turns out to be a less-than-successful warden for poor Russell.

Manon is the smallest of the litter, who is not totally down with the program their “Chief” has laid out. When she disobeys, she is forced to wear a large black poodle head and sometimes physically carted from the room by her cowed sisters.

Patti is intent on breeding perfect human life, but she needs a male stud.

Will Russell go along with this plan, before, during or after? You’ll need to see the film when it releases to find out and then we can talk.

RUSSELL BURR

Russell has been working for four years on improving colonies of bees, using eugenics. He is deeply in debt to the tune of $200,000. When he pitches his impressive research, they fault him for dropping out of MIT to concentrate on the bees. This means that Russell does not have the PhD he needs to “sell” his work. Russell, too, has anxiety issues and a supportive fiancée who tries to talk him through various tough moments.

Daniel Doheny was impressive in bringing Russell to life as a character. Filmed in Canada, Doheny was named the Best Actor in a Canadian film for 2022’s “Drinkwater” by the Vancouver Film Critics ,and was Best Actor in 2024’s “Scared Shitless,” also from the Vancouver.

CREW

The cinematographer, Jaryl Lim, filmed the perfectly spooky production design of Skye Dyken, aided immeasurably by composer Hannah Parrott and, above all, by the great casting of Casting Directors Candice Elzinja and Thomas Sullivan. The acting in this one, dealing with a truly fascinating and debatable topic, was top-notch and the film was a true treat at the 57th Nashville Film Festival.