Closet Monster (2015) is an evocative, surrealist coming-of-age film directed by Stephen Dunn, exploring themes of identity, trauma, sexual awakening, and self-acceptance. Through a deeply psychological lens, it tells the story of Oscar Madly (Connor Jessup), a teenager navigating the complexities of growing up in a small Canadian town. The film blends elements of dark fantasy and psychological horror with a rich, emotional narrative, offering a nuanced exploration of adolescence and queerness.
Plot and Structure:
Oscar Madly, a sensitive and introverted 17-year-old, is struggling with the lingering effects of a traumatic childhood and adolescence. His father, an abusive and emotionally distant figure, has left him with a deeply fractured sense of self, while his mother, who remains emotionally detached, has struggled to pick up the pieces of their broken family. The film begins with a flashback to Oscar’s early childhood, where we see a pivotal moment when his father (Aaron Abrams) angrily destroys their family home. This event, which sets the tone for Oscar's fractured emotional state, becomes a haunting memory that continues to influence Oscar's psychological state into adulthood.
Oscar’s inner turmoil is compounded by the small-town atmosphere where he lives. The town's conservative, closed-minded attitudes create a stifling environment for Oscar, particularly as he begins to experience his sexual awakening. He is struggling with a sense of otherness, feeling increasingly alienated from the world around him. This alienation is amplified by his growing attraction to his best friend, Wilder (Jack Fulton). While Wilder appears carefree, outgoing, and seemingly unaware of Oscar's feelings, Oscar is unable to reconcile these emotions with his sense of self, leading to a deep internal conflict.
Oscar's emotional life is depicted through a series of vivid, surreal dream sequences and psychological hallucinations, making the film a strikingly visual experience. A major symbol in these sequences is Buffy, a talking hamster that Oscar has had since childhood. Buffy is not merely a pet but a projection of Oscar's subconscious mind. Voiced by Isabella Rossellini, Buffy represents Oscar's inner dialogue, often offering advice, guidance, and emotional commentary. She also serves as a proxy for Oscar’s loneliness and unexpressed desires, as she interacts with him in both comforting and sometimes disturbingly insightful ways.
Psychological Struggles:
Oscar's psychological landscape is marked by deep trauma from his father’s abuse and his family's dysfunction. His father's violent temper and abandonment leave him with a sense of confusion about love and affection, which extends to his budding sexual feelings. At the same time, he is haunted by the loss of his childhood innocence. The monstrous visions of his father in Oscar’s dreams—often distorted and threatening—reveal the deep emotional scars left by his abusive past. These unsettling dreams create a visual metaphor for the internal chaos Oscar faces as he comes to terms with his identity.
As Oscar matures, his sexual feelings become an inevitable source of confusion and fear. He experiences intense attraction to Wilder, his close friend. However, he is too afraid to act on these feelings, believing that Wilder, a seemingly straight boy, could never reciprocate them. The town's environment also heightens Oscar's fear of rejection, as small-town life is depicted as rigid and unforgiving. His confusion and reluctance to express his emotions build up an intense sense of anxiety, which manifests in his constant internal struggle. The unspoken tension between Oscar and Wilder underscores the fragility of young relationships, particularly when complicated by unacknowledged feelings.
Symbolism and Surreal Imagery:
One of the film’s most powerful features is its use of surreal and symbolic imagery to convey Oscar's emotional state. The film often blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, using abstract visuals to express Oscar’s psyche. Buffy, the talking hamster, is the most overtly surreal element in the film, acting as both a source of comfort and a mirror of Oscar's inner voice. At times, Buffy offers advice that oscillates between wise and sardonic, almost like a guide who’s simultaneously nurturing and brutally honest.
Throughout the film, Oscar’s internal conflict is represented by disturbing, otherworldly visions. For example, there are sequences where Oscar's father appears as a grotesque, monstrous figure. The grotesque representation of his father highlights the lingering, oppressive weight of past trauma. These nightmarish images of the father speak to the fears Oscar cannot fully confront, showing how the shadow of abuse still looms over him, affecting his ability to form healthy relationships. His father's monstrous form also signifies the distorted version of masculinity that Oscar is trying to understand and break free from.
Oscar also experiences moments of sexualized violence in his hallucinations—disturbing metaphors for the pressure he feels in reconciling his sexuality with the fear of judgment and rejection. These fantasies blur the boundaries of control and vulnerability, reflecting how Oscar is unable to separate love and fear, longing and pain. The disorienting visual style enhances this sense of disconnection and chaos in Oscar’s emotional journey.
Oscar and Wilder's Relationship:
The relationship between Oscar and Wilder is central to the plot, acting as a catalyst for Oscar’s emotional and psychological growth. Wilder, who appears to be a carefree, outgoing figure, is a symbol of what Oscar desires but cannot yet accept in himself. He represents the idealized figure of romantic and sexual attraction, someone Oscar both yearns for and feels he can never attain due to the limitations he places on himself and his fear of coming out.
As their friendship deepens, Oscar begins to imagine a romantic relationship with Wilder, but his self-doubt and fear of rejection prevent him from expressing these feelings. Wilder’s apparent obliviousness to Oscar’s attraction only adds to the internal pressure Oscar feels. Ultimately, Oscar finds himself at a crossroads when it comes to confronting his feelings and identity. The tension between them reaches a climax when Oscar, unable to confront his emotions and fears, makes a fateful decision to distance himself from Wilder and leave his small-town life behind.
The Climax and Resolution:
The turning point in Closet Monster occurs when Oscar reaches a breaking point, where he must decide whether to face his trauma and embrace his true identity or continue to suppress his desires. This climax is reflected in a final sequence where Oscar has an emotional confrontation with his father, confronting the abuse and the pain that has shaped much of his identity. In a symbolic act of closure, Oscar finds himself at the edge of a new beginning, physically and emotionally separated from the repressive forces of his past.
The film concludes with Oscar making the brave decision to leave his hometown, symbolizing his attempt to break free from the confines of his past and the small-town mentality that stifled his true self. As he moves forward, Oscar has not only reconciled with his past trauma but also begins to accept and embrace his queerness, understanding that his identity is something to be celebrated, not hidden. The film closes on a note of hope, with Oscar stepping into an uncertain future, empowered by the knowledge that he can now live authentically.
Themes and Message:
At its core, Closet Monster is a film about self-acceptance and the struggle to find one's place in a world that can feel both suffocating and alienating. It reflects the universal experience of coming to terms with who we are, particularly in a society that often demands conformity. The film also addresses the lingering effects of trauma, particularly childhood trauma, and how it can shape one's sense of self and relationships. Oscar’s journey is not just about understanding his sexuality but also about reclaiming his power over his past, learning to navigate love and intimacy, and, ultimately, finding peace within himself.
The use of fantasy elements and surrealism in Closet Monster serves to externalize Oscar’s inner world, turning his psychological landscape into a visual experience. Through these dreamlike sequences, the film explores the complexities of identity, trauma, and growing up, offering a deeply immersive narrative that resonates emotionally.