Since the first of the year, HBO has been welcoming a handful of new movies to its expansive catalog. Along with titles like the Brandy Norwood-starrer, The Front Room, and the Academy Award-nominated, Sebastian Stan-fronted A Different Man, a completely different style is about to lovingly scare its way onto the platform. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, audiences are invited to scream, cry and laugh at Caroline Lindy’s Your Monster. Starring Scream alum Melissa Barrera, the part rom-com, part horror film is a creative take on embracing your inner anger and loving yourself for the bad bitch that you are.
Barrera’s Laura is at the end of her rope when we meet her at the beginning of Your Monster. The aspiring young actress has been diagnosed with cancer and is already in a bad mental state when her boyfriend ends their relationship. Heartbroken and feeling completely abandoned, Laura packs up her things and moves back to her childhood home to rest and recover from the breakup. One night, she is greeted by a monster who has taken up residency in her closet. As she befriends the hairy beast, Laura learns more about herself and allows her anger to tower over her grief and make her stronger.
Joining Barrera in the cast of Lindy’s production is a lineup that includes Tommy Dewey (Casual) as the Monster, Edmund Donovan (Orange Is the New Black) as Laura’s ex-boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan, Kayla Foster (The Deuce) as Laura’s friend, Mazie, and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus) as an actress named Jackie Dennon.
Melissa Barrera’s 2024 Return

Although she already had her feet grounded in the entertainment industry prior to her appearance in 2022’s Scream, the movie helped launch Barrera to a new level. She was now part of a long-lasting horror family and was welcomed with open arms. Sadly, after starring alongside Jenna Ortega in the fifth and sixth installments, Spyglass Media parted ways with the In the Heights actress due to social media posts that showed a pro-Palestinian stance.
Barrera admitted that she was worried her career was over after the end of her run with Scream, but really, she was just beginning. In 2024, she continued to fortify her scream queen status with not just Your Monster but also Abigail, which came from the helmers of Scream and Scream VI, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Next on the big screen, she’ll be seen in the biographical drama, The Collaboration, and has her sights set on leaving her mark in Hollywood.
Whether you love or hate Valentine’s Day, embrace your inner rage with Your Monster now streaming on Max.

Your Monster

Release Date

October 25, 2024

Runtime

104 minutes

Director

Caroline Lindy

Writers

Caroline Lindy

Producers

Bob Potter, Sharon Horgan, Kayla Foster, Clelia Mountford

WATCH ON MAX