Antiviral (2012)

In a blackly satirical near future, a thriving industry sells celebrity illnesses to their obsessed fans. Employee Syd March's attempts to exploit the system backfire when they involve him in a potentially deadly mystery.

Director:

Brandon Cronenberg

Writer:

Brandon Cronenberg (screenplay)

Stars:

Caleb Landry Jones, Lisa Berry, Sarah Gadon

5 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Caleb Landry Jones	...	Syd March
Sarah Gadon	...	Hannah Geist
Lisa Berry	...	Lucas Clinic Receptionist
Douglas Smith	...	Edward Porris
Nenna Abuwa	...	Aria Noble
Donna Goodhand	...	Woman in Waiting Room
Adam Bogen	...	Lucas Clinic Security Guard
Salvatore Antonio	...	Topp
Matt Watts	...	Mercer
Dawn Greenhalgh	...	Jane
Katie Bergin	...	Talk Show Host
Nicholas Campbell	...	Dorian
Lara Jean Chorostecki	...	Michelle
Reid Morgan	...	Derek Lessing
Elitsa Bako	...	Vera

Storyline

Syd March is an employee at a clinic that sells injections of live viruses harvested from sick celebrities to obsessed fans. Biological communion - for a price. Syd also supplies illegal samples of these viruses to piracy groups, smuggling them from the clinic in his own body. When he becomes infected with the disease that kills super sensation Hannah Geist, Syd becomes a target for collectors and rabid fans. He must unravel the mystery surrounding her death before he suffers the same fate.

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Plot Keywords:

looking at oneself in a mirror | buddhist | celebrity death | bleeding mouth | celebrity | 

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Taglines:

What If You Could Feel Like They Do ...

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

14A

Did You Know?

Trivia

During production, Sarah Gadon and Caleb Landry Jones both decided not to meet or rehearse prior to the filming of the hotel room scene where Syd takes a sample of Hannah Geist's blood. They both felt it would help preserve the separation of the characters within the story.

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Goofs

When Syd injects himself, he taps on his arm, like one would do when they are trying to make a vein pop out. He doesn't inject into a vein, so tapping on his arm is pointless and does absolutely nothing.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: [on the phone] Yes. Yes. Wonderful, I'll transfer you to booking.
[to visitor]
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: Can I help you?
Edward Porris: Edward Porris. I have an appointment.
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: Porris...
[hands him a clipboard]
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: Just have a seat.

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Connections

References Broken Tulips (2008)

User Reviews

Like Father Like Son

Syd March works for a cosmetic company that sells you a way to share the viruses and diseases your favourite celebrities have. It's a very intimate experience knowing you have been infected with herpes by the same blood of your celebrity crush. Syd is also involved in dealing with the black market over these samples of viruses and finds himself in over his head when his celebrity crush dies.

This is not a comedy. This is a gritty, blood-gushing, stomach-churning, grotesque sci-fi thriller from Brandon Cronenberg. However exciting that above sentence may have sounded, Antiviral is a slower-paced horror art piece. It is hard on the eyes and stomach, as such a story should be.

This is the film all of the original David Cronenberg fans have been waiting for. It's come a decade too late and not through him but through his son. Unlike Sofia Coppola or Jennifer Lynch, Brandon Cronenberg doesn't seem to be trying to find his own voice. With this film, he seems content filling the shoes his father had left unfilled over the last decade, making more audience-friendly dramatic thrillers. Antiviral very much could be a lost 2003 film David Cronenberg shot right after Spider. Like father like son.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Canada France

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 2013 (France)

Also Known As:

Antiviral

Filming Locations:

Bel-Air Grill, 673 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD3,200,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$61,808

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance, TF1 International, Téléfilm Canada

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1