This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page. Sometimes, you…
After years of servitude, Renfield finally begins to truly understand just how toxic the relationship is — and that he deserves a shot at a better life. He comes to this conclusion only by accident, when he stumbles into a meeting of the self-help group DRAAG.: Dependent Relationship Anonymous Addiction Group.
Because “Renfield” is a big, supernatural comedy, it could just use the group for a punchline. So it’s a pleasant surprise to see how much thought is put into the portrayal. The scenes with DRAAG, led by the sympathetic Mark , find humor without ever making the people the butt of the joke. “You don’t want to punch down in comedy,” McKay notes. “The thought of taking potshots at people with very real issues just seems so disrespectful.”Photo Credit: Michele K.
McKay also credits his cast with finding just the right tone in a film that encompasses several genres — sometimes all at once. As usual, Cage holds nothing back in his performance as Dracula. But he also has to be believably charismatic to hold Renfield in his thrall — and scary enough to keep him from leaving. “Every toxic narcissist believes they’re in love with the person they’re abusing,” McKay notes.
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