Killing Eleanor

Killing Eleanor is a poignant and unsettling drama that tackles the heavier aspects of human existence. Based on the true story of Kathryn and Bob Lynn, a couple in their seventies from Illinois, who in 1987 hired a young man to drive them to the California desert so he could murder them. The movie, however, takes creative liberties to add depth and intrigue to its narrative, while still adhering to the dark and morbid undertones. We are introduced to a terminally ill Eleanor, a widow in her late seventies who finds herself trapped in a world of suffering and pain. With little to no regard for her current circumstances, Eleanor sets her sights on orchestrating her own demise, which she hopes will be a peaceful and painless experience. Her husband having recently passed away, Eleanor is faced with the prospect of succumbing to her disease under the harsh conditions of a hospital. With each passing day, Eleanor becomes increasingly more determined to break free from the grasp of a seemingly meaningless life. In her pursuit of escape, Eleanor meets a charming but troubled young man named Jack, who is struggling with his own demons. A self-destructive addict haunted by a troubled past, Jack finds solace in Eleanor's promise of a payment in exchange for her death. In exchange for clean urine – a commodity that Eleanor needs to attend her daughter's wedding without embarrassing her family – Jack is willing to do something unthinkable: murder Eleanor in her sleep. Eleanor, sensing Jack's desperation and his willingness to do the unthinkable, seizes this opportunity to take control of her life. Under the pretense of needing help to get rid of her husband, a retired Army colonel who is increasingly ill with Alzheimer's, Eleanor manipulates Jack into carrying out her sinister plan. Jack, torn between his desire to break free from his addiction and his sense of obligation towards Eleanor, begins to see this opportunity as a way to redeem himself. Throughout the film, the complex and troubled relationship between Eleanor and Jack unfolds. Jack becomes increasingly more invested in his role as Eleanor's 'hitman', and begins to see her as a surrogate mother figure who is determined to take control of her life. Eleanor, on the other hand, sees Jack as a means to an end – a necessary evil that she can use to achieve her desired outcome. As the story progresses, we see a dynamic at play that blurs the lines between victim and perpetrator, and raises profound questions about the human condition. Is it morally acceptable to take someone's life, especially one who is terminally ill and in a state of immense suffering? Or is it simply a way to take control and assert one's own will? These questions serve as the foundation of Killing Eleanor's thought-provoking narrative, which delves deep into the complexities of human behavior and the choices we make in desperation. One of the most striking aspects of Killing Eleanor is its unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of the human experience. The film doesn't shy away from depicting the ugliness and cruelty that underlies some human interactions, and it challenges the viewer to confront their own moral dilemmas. In the process, it forces us to consider the value of human life, and the ways in which we justify our actions as a means to an end. Ultimately, Killing Eleanor is a movie that defies easy categorization as a horror or thriller film. Instead, it is a complex and nuanced exploration of the human condition, a film that confronts its viewers with a profound question: at what cost are we willing to take control of our lives?