Audiences are really enjoying some blood with their comedies these days. The Oscar-winning (and losing) The Substance is as grotesque as it is absurdly funny; the Valentine’s release this year, Heart Eyes, combined a rom-com story with slasher tropes; and one of the best movies of the year so far, Companion, saw scream queen Sophie Thatcher give one of her funniest performances to date while getting covered in blood in the process. Following suit is a title that doesn’t nail its execution quite as well as the likes of The Substance or Companion, but still has some truly funny moments while spinning a rather dark tale (although it never goes too deep to unveil something that repulsive).
Jimmy Warden’s Borderline can start to feel derivative of other, much stronger movies, but there’s something irresistibly charming about it, especially in its second half. Despite a rather weak script and a lot of jokes that don’t land, the cast of characters are all so bizarrely entertaining and played to perfection by a talented line-up of performers, Borderline is a prime example of how a really great cast can elevate rather frail material.
‘Borderline’ Doesn’t Set Up Much Context For Its Narrative

The movie opens telling us it’s “1990 – something,” and that’s your first indication of the sheer lack of world-building in Borderline. Despite the ‘90s having a comeback in today’s pop lexicon and the celebrity culture of the era remaining ever so cool (and relevant), the movie makes no effort to build up an atmosphere of the 1990s zeitgeist. Graffiti and billboards advertise and honor the pop star of the moment, Sofia (Samara Weaving), but before we get to meet her, we’re dropped right into a scene that feels like it happens halfway through the movie. (Warden’s inability to introduce his audience to his narrative had me checking that my computer didn’t accidentally skip forward 30 minutes).
Paul Duerson (Ray Nicholson) approaches the front door of a lavish LA mansion, and an unfazed but annoyed bodyguard, Bell (Eric Dane), has seen it all before. Paul is an obsessive fan of Sofia and this is her home. From Bell’s frustrated demeanor, we know that this isn’t his first run-in with Paul. Paul is in high spirits as he tells Bell of his plans to propose to Sofia. But when Bell tells him to walk away, a scuffle ensues and Bell ends up stabbed. Six months later, Sofia is in the early infatuation stage with pro basketball player Rhodes (Jimmy Fails), as they smoke and film each other in the same mansion. Bell has returned to duty after recovering from his attack, and Paul has been sent to a mental health facility. However, Paul and a fellow inmate have escaped, and we know that he’s planning a grand reunion with his bride-to-be. As they descend onto Sofia’s house, and ensure to dispose of any obstacles, Paul is hell-bent on finally tying the knot with his dream girl.
Jimmy Warden Is a Far Better Director Than Writer

Image Via Magnet Releasing

For the first 30 minutes of Borderline, I had my mind made up that I didn’t like it — and I feel that’s justified. As said, the opening feels too bereft of context and world-building, with the first conversation being a rather rambly exchange between a delusional man and a bodyguard over a pop star we know nothing about. In the reviews for Opus, the A24 thriller in which John Malkovich plays a music icon, many critics’ favorite aspect of the movie was Malkovich’s fictional musician’s songs. Borderline doesn’t venture to even suggest what type of sound Sofia has, nor does it make any commentary on celebrity culture.
This feels like a missed opportunity, as the obsession and entitlement people felt towards female pop stars of this era almost always poured over into vitriol and misogyny, and they were frequently victims of tabloid harassment. Paul clearly has a parasocial relationship with Sofia (a textbook example of it, actually), and with the problematic relationships fans can have with celebrities remaining such a hot topic to this day, it’s kind of bizarre that Warden would build an entire movie around this idea without making any substantial commentary on it. Instead, Sofia and Rhodes have mumblecore-like conversations with hardly any sexual chemistry and even less coherence. Their dialogue is notably much more stilted and incongruent than the rest of the film. Eric Dane’s Bell is much more fully formed, as we see his existential conundrum of his loyalty to Sofia and wanting to make it home to his young daughter in one piece.

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So, with a focus on the inconsequential and rather contrived conversations between Sofia and Rhodes (far and away the least interesting moments of the movie), Borderline is rather grating. However, when Paul makes his return and brings along the even more deranged Penny (Alba Baptista), the movie comes alive in the most gloriously unhinged way. And there really isn’t even a plot. It’s just a group of people running around a magnificent home, some trying to get away, others trying to harm or kill. It’s doing nothing new narratively, but it’s hard to care when you are having so much fun watching the characters and the fantastic comedic acting of the performers. Warden really doesn’t set out to try and explain why Paul is like this. And while some more subtextual material would’ve been nice, it doesn’t take away from Nicholson’s — or any of his co-stars — performance.
Jimmy Warden is still somewhat in the infancy of his career. His writing credits include the 2023 action comedy, Cocaine Bear, and The Babysitter: Killer Queen. Borderline marks his directorial debut, and from the finished product, his experience is a little perplexing. Borderline is a much stronger showcase for his directing talents than his writing. As stated, the dialogue can drag pretty painfully at times, and punchlines that are given plenty of space barely invoke a chuckle. But Warden’s direction is very much in tandem with his cast, and his shooting elevates the comedic work and lines that do land. He frames the fight scenes and bloodshed with an inherent slapstick quality, but he can also stage some chilling sequences. When Sofia is making her way through the house, unaware of Paul’s presence, it feels like a palpably creepy home invasion movie. Warden is an exciting director to keep an eye on, even if his writing lacks the same astuteness.
Ray Nicholson and Alba Baptista Are Revelations in ‘Borderline’

Samara Weaving is an actor who needs no introduction to any horror aficionado. And despite Sofia being a fairly plain character with no sense of history, you can’t help but root for her in the second half due to Weaving doing some of her best comedic acting. While Weaving can command the screen all on her own and take down an entire family of wealthy dickheads, she has the much harder task here of reacting to some bonkers shit, and it’s her little eye twitches, eyebrow raises, and simple deliveries of one-word answers that make for genuinely hilarious moments. A particular exchange when she mimics Penny’s French accent is done with such subtlety yet comedic precision.
Speaking of Penny, Baptista is a revelation in Borderline. She brings the manic, chaotic, and oddly sweet energy as the infantile Penny who runs around like an adult female Chucky. She packs all of her scenes with a frenzied energy that makes up for some stodgy dialogue and writing. Eric Dane is the perfect counterfeit for all the hysteria, even if he’s not in the movie as much as one would like.

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But, this is no one’s movie except for Ray Nicholson. After a supporting role in the Prime Video show, Panic, and a limited but devastating and effective presence in Smile 2, Nicholson has finally been given the chance to shine, and boy, does he take it. There’s no method to Paul’s madness. He’s given a sympathizing backstory, but the movie nor Nicholson really rolls with it. Nicholson is in the thick of it, having a blast, and caught in a mania that’s equal parts disconcerting and intoxicating. There are moments when he gives us that familiar famous maniacal grin and it’s like being transported back to the Stanley Hotel in 1980. Even though it’s hard not to draw comparisons, from Borderline alone, it’s safe to say that Nicholson will enjoy a varied career of his own, and not remain in the shadow of his legendary father.
After having something of an opinion whiplash halfway through Borderline, I ultimately do recommend it to anyone who can forgo a flawed script to enjoy some really fun performances. The last act makes even less sense than what proceeded it, but it’s nothing if not hilarious, with some delightfully weird imagery (a certain actor in a wedding dress is pretty damn funny). The laconic first 30 minutes of Borderline are trying, but they are genuinely worth it when the lights go off and Nicholson and Baptista step into focus. Their presence even boasts the energy of those around them, making it an ensemble that creates a wildly fun space for you to descend into the madness along with them.
Borderline comes to theaters and VOD on March 14.

Borderline

Borderline’s script is its greatest let-down, but it’s luckily elevated by a stellar cast.

Release Date

March 14, 2025

Runtime

110 minutes

Director

Jimmy Warden

Writers

Jimmy Warden

Pros & Cons

Ray Nicholson and Alba Baptista announce themselves as horror’s newest actors to watch.
There are some hilarious lines, mainly due to the delivery of the performers.
Samara Weaving remains an extremely watchable actor who excels in reaction.

The characters are thin and don’t have a real sense of history.
There is no chemistry or sense of connection between Sofia and Rhodes.
Warden’s script can feel meandering and unfocused.