Hello horror fans, it’s Slick Dungeon! I’m back to review another Stephen King adaptation. This one is the disappointing, and frankly, strange and offensive, film, Thinner. There will be spoilers for this but since I don’t recommend watching it, maybe that’s irrelevant here. If you do care about that, you have been warned.

Thinner background

Thinner is a 1996 body horror film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Originally the book was published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman. One member of the literary guild said the book read like a work by Stephen King if Stephen King could write. Eventually it came out to the public that Bachman and King were one and the same person.

The movie was made for $8 million dollars and generated a healthy $15.3 million. But it was far from a critical success and upon re-watching this does not hold up. The main character is wholly unlikeable, although that is probably intentional. But more problematic is the way Romani people are depicted in uninspired stereotypes.

The end does offer some fateful justice but there are so many problems along the way, this is one I recommend skipping.

Not a nice lawyer

Billy Halleck is a lawyer willing to defend a mafia boss named Richie “The Hammer” Ginelli. Everyone in America is entitled to a vigorous defense but Billy must know on some level that Richie is guilty. Halleck succeeds in an acquittal of the trial. Billy Halleck is also, severely overweight. In fact, he’s somewhat obsessed with food.

His wife, Heidi loves him. And she wants him to do better with his nutrition. While driving home, Billy keeps talking about food. Heidi tries to distract him by, let’s just say doing things to him that are better done while not driving. As a result, Billy is distracted and runs over a Romani woman named Suzanne Lempke. The woman dies.

There are no consequences for Billy Halleck in court. He has a friendly judge acquit him of manslaughter after getting the police chief to commit perjury and clear Billy’s name.

Thinner

Suzanne’s father, Tadzu Lempke is justifiably angry. Outside of the court he sees Billy and touches Billy’s cheek. He says one word, “Thinner.” From now on, even when Billy is eating everything in sight, he gets thinner. No matter what he does, he loses weight. At first this is seen as good thing. But the rapid weight loss is concerning to Heidi. She thinks it might be cancer.

Both the judge and the police chief face their own consequences. The judge has turned into a lizard-like creature and the police chief has ulcers all over his face and hands. Both of these men have been cursed and both of them commit suicide.

Looking for solutions

Billy knows he is in trouble. He goes to the Romani camp to make a deal with Tadzu Lempke. Although Billy is a good lawyer, he can’t make a deal here. Tadzu banishes Billy from camp and his granddaughter shoots a ball bearing from a slingshot that tears right through Billy’s hand.

Billy angrily vows revenge and decides he is going to do everything he can to destroy these people.And he has the mafia connection with Richie Ginelli to do it.

Through a series of attempts, Ginelli does his best to terrify everyone at the Romani camp. One of these tactics results in the death of Tadzu’s granddaughter’s husband.

Tadzu agrees to meet with Billy to lift the curse. He gives Billy a pie, mixes in some of Billy’s blood and tells him what will happen. If someone else eats the pie they will die quickly and Billy’s curse will be lifted. Tadzu encourages him to eat the pie himself and die with dignity.

Billy Halleck is just the worst

Billy suspects Heidi is having an affair so he gives her the pie. When he wakes up, he wakes up next to Heidi’s corpse. But to his horror, he discovers his daughter also ate some of the pie. Billy is going to eat the rest of the pie when he is interrupted by the man Heidi is having an affair with. Billy invites him in for some pie with a smirk on his face.

The book actually ends with Billy eating the pie himself after discovering his daughter is cursed but the movie makes it a little more ambiguous.

Either way, I take Billy eating the pie as yet another time this guy escapes accountability as he won’t have to answer for any of his crimes if he’s dead. But that’s just my take.

Thinner in conclusion

This film might have worked in the 1990’s. There is some decent body horror but the practical effects used to make Billy look overweight don’t work well now. The ones that make him look thinner work better and leave a few creepy impressions on the viewer. But more problematic is the whole plot of a “gypsy curse” which feels outdated, irrelevant and essentially offensive at this point. Add to the fact that none of the nuance from the book is here and this makes for poor viewing. While Billy gets some consequences, he never seems to learn from his actions and does not become more likeable. I’m not against an unlikeable protagonist but Billy is really hard to sympathize with at any level here.

Not all Stephen King adaptations can be good ones. But as we get further into October, I’ll be reviewing some of scariest of his films so buckle up because from here on out, they are all likely to give you nightmares.

Thinly yours,

Slick Dungeon

Want More?

Want to see some of my other King reviews? Take a look here!

Looking for a good King read? Check out this one!