In We're So Dead, Ken MacLaughlin transforms every restaurant worker’s worst nightmare into a blood-soaked, laugh-out-loud love letter to the service industry. Equal parts Waiting... and Scream, this indie horror-comedy slices through customer service hell with a steak knife and a smirk, and the result is chaotic, crude, and absolutely delightful.
Set on the slowest shift of the year, Christmas Eve, this Dunwoody, Georgia-filmed slasher turns an empty dining room into a war zone when a deranged “Karen” takes her dissatisfaction to homicidal levels. She’s not just asking for the manager; she’s trying to kill them.
Leanna Adams kills (literally and figuratively) as Karen, going all-in with a gloriously over-the-top performance that anchors the absurdity with just the right amount of menace. Jenna Kanell (Terrifier) is a grounded and compelling lead as Ashley, the jaded server trying to survive the shift from hell, while Kevin Saunders as Doug, the too-nice manager, provides some surprising emotional depth before being swallowed by the madness.
What truly sets We’re So Dead apart from other “killer Karen” fare is its unmistakable authenticity. Director Ken MacLaughlin, an award-winning filmmaker and former longtime server, clearly knows this world inside and out. The script overflows with pitch-perfect service industry references, from stolen pens and endless smoke breaks to hilariously passive-aggressive slogans like “We Romaine the Best.” Every detail, from the chalkboard specials to the groan-worthy wordplay (“now the tables have turned”), is a clever, affectionate nod to restaurant life that will have anyone who’s ever worked a shift feeling seen—and laughing.
Some technical issues do creep in, particularly a messy audio mix in the opening scenes that muddles some of the dialogue and jokes. But once the film finds its footing, it delivers a fast-paced, no-fluff, gag-and-gore-filled runtime that flies by. The kills are as creative as they are silly, and the humor leans gleefully juvenile with poop, pee, and sex jokes landing surprisingly well thanks to the film’s infectious energy and tone.
It’s hard not to love a film this self-aware and committed to its bit. Think of it as Airplane! meets Friday the 13th, with a cast of characters who feel plucked straight from your last dinner shift: the angry chef (Olivia Tiedemann), the pervy fuckboy (Ethan Trace), the deadbeat always on a smoke break (Aria Celeste Castillo), and Pancake (Aaron Goldenberg), the ultimate whiny co-worker you hate to love. Darron Cardosa, aka The Bitchy Waiter, steals scenes as the snarky bartender Dirk, and his chemistry with the rest of the cast underscores the film's true strength: community.
Crowdfunded through WeFunder by real-life servers, line cooks, and bartenders, not just donations, but real investments, We’re So Dead embodies the hustle, humor, and heart of the people it celebrates. It’s a film made by the service industry for the service industry, and the passion shows in every joke, every spilled drink, and every splatter of fake blood.
The ending? So dumb it’s brilliant. Stick around for a blooper reel that proves the cast had as much fun making the movie as you’ll have watching it.
We’re So Dead is a raucous, messy, blood-drenched gift to anyone who's ever been stiffed on a tip, double-sat during a rush, or cried in the walk-in. A perfect crowd movie, this one deserves to be played at midnight screenings for years to come. Bring your coworkers. Just don’t forget to tip.
Jessie Hobson