Glorious

Rest stops on long, lonely roads are among those places with innate story potential. They’re temporary refuges for all kinds of people but in many cases, nobody stays there; they’re visited infrequently to stock vending machines, pick up litter and clean toilets. They exist on the periphery of the civilised world, a place for unlikely encounters where the usual rules don’t apply.

When he arrives there, Wes (Ryan Kwanten) has already broken quite a few rules. He has said goodbye to Brenda (Sylvia Grace Crim), a woman who was obviously the love of his life. He’s packed everything he owns into his car and driven away, full of regrets. After a spot of curative drinking and a rough night by the side of the road, he decides to use the toilets before he goes. He will be there for a very long time.

Places like this, out on the fringes, are ideal spots for marginalised forms of interaction, so it’s not surprising to see a glory hole in the side of one of the stalls, even if the illustration around it is a little unusual. Wes isn’t there for that, so he just ignores it, and when the person in the neighbouring stall begins to make small talk, he’s polite but tries to avoid getting drawn in, protecting his boundaries. When the door to the toilet block refuses to budge, however, he realises that he’s in trouble and is forced to turn to his unseen neighbour for assistance. That’s when Ghat (voiced by JK Simmons) properly introduces himself, and things begin to get very strange indeed.

What is billed as Lovecraftian horror certainly fits into that mould on one level, but it is perhaps more like what one might have expected had old HP taken to writing sitcoms. Wes fits easily into the beleaguered sitcom straight man role (though appearances can be deceptive) and the culture clash between him and Ghat, as they repeatedly misinterpret one another’s efforts to communicate, makes for plenty of entertainment. This is kept in balance by the gravitas which Simmons brings to his role, playing it absolutely straight even when Ghat’s claims are at their most grandiose and seemingly absurd. The script is strong, the world building within it effectively done, but it would still flounder without this additional weight.

Glory holes are never just about sexual relief, which is often easier to obtain in other ways. They’re about the unknowability of the other and the thrill (and the danger) that goes with that, for both parties. Glorious takes risks every time it gives away more information or verifies a claim, but for the most part this is handled with due caution. There’s more to it than just that initial hook, and it’s played with confidence. Simmons fans may not get to see the actor but will delight in this performance nonetheless, and mention should also go to Crim (seen in flashback) who manages to make a huge emotional impact in a very short time.

Although the film’s low budget is obvious, especially in the final sequence, there’s some great practical effects work which serves it well, and by the time we step into CGI territory, we are already so far removed from the familiar that it isn’t difficult to bear with it. Screening at Fantasia 2022, it was up against much bigger competition, yet it won some devoted fans, and at home on Shudder it’s ready to please.