Talhotblond

Barbara Schroeder’s documentary Talhotblond is a sleazy take on a sleazy true story, an upstate New York homicide springing from a love triangle based entirely online. The story builds to one of the most effed-up plot twists I’ve ever seen on film, documentary or otherwise, so I’ll withhold the spoilers; it’s pretty watery and invasive otherwise. In short, married schlub and ex-Marine Thomas met high-school senior Jessi in a chat room, seduced her with an alter ego military stud named Tommy, and became jealous when she started flirting with his co-worker Brian. Schroeder doesn’t miss a single exploitative trick; Brian narrates from beyond the grave, Thomas and Jessi’s private chats flash on-screen in salacious extended segments (does everyone online write like they’re 14?) and a gaggle of “experts” of questionable authority pontificate at length on this complex case.