''Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea'' is a 2023 American

satirical Satire is a genre of the visual arts, visual, literature, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently Nonfiction, non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ...

dark comedy film directed by

Tony Olmos Tony Olmos is a Mexican-American filmmaker and musician who is the creator of the films Continuance (film), ''Continuance'' (2021) and ''South of 8'' (2016), and directed ''Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea'' (2023), ''Fletcher and Jenks'' ...

and written by

Brian Patrick Butler Brian Patrick Butler is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He is known for writing and directing the film ''Friend of the World'' (2020), writing and performing in the film ''Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea ...

. Butler also leads the

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that comprises many principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to the po ...

that includes Kimberly Weinberger,

Aimee La Joie Aimee Suzanne La Joie is an American actress, photographer, videographer and model best known for the viral video '' The Film Crew'' and parodies of '' Home Town'', ''MasterChef'', ''Queer Eye'', and ''Say Yes to the Dress''. She stars in the fil ...

Randy Davison Randy Lee Davison (born ) is an American actor who appeared in the films '' The United States vs. Billie Holiday'' (2021) as Joseph McCarthy, ''Mank'' (2020), '' Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea'' (2023), '' Not This Part of the World'' (19 ...

Merrick McCartha Merrick McCartha is an American actor who appeared on television shows such as '' All American'' (2020–2021)'', Countdown'' (2025), ''Criminal Minds'' (2012–2015), ''Rebel'' (2017) and ''Unstable'' (2023). His film credits include '' Failure ...

, and

Nick Young Nicholas Aaron Young (born June 1, 1985), nicknamed "Swaggy P", is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the USC Trojans and was a two-time first-team all-conference selection in the Pac-10 The ...

. Olmos and Butler produced the film together through their companies Rosewood Five and Charybdis Pictures. The story focuses on tenants who grapple with each other while attempting to oust their

fascistic Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hi ...

landlord A landlord is the owner of property such as a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate that is rented or leased to an individual or business, known as a tenant (also called a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). The term landlord appli ...

. The film is set in a fictional dystopia in

Riverside County, California Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...

but was filmed in

San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of California, north to its border with Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634; it is the second-most populous ...

with a microbudget in 2021. Some key aspects of the film involve capitalism and fairy tales, as well as slasher film and

zombie apocalypse Zombie apocalypse is a subgenre of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction in which society collapses due to overwhelming swarms of zombies. Usually, only a few individuals or small bands of human survivors are left living. There are many d ...

tropes. The film premiered in 2023 at

Digital Gym Cinema Digital Gym Cinema is a theater and lounge in San Diego, California, that screens international and independent films. It was founded by Media Arts Center San Diego. History Digital Gym Cinema opened in April, 2013 after Media Arts Center San Die ...

for San Diego Film Week, screening at

Oceanside International Film Festival The Oceanside International Film Festival (OIFF) is an annual film festival held in Oceanside, California. It was founded in 2009 by the Oceanside Cultural Foundation. History The 11th annual festival was the first in person event since 2019. ...

and Hemet Film Festival in 2024. It was released on video on demand on November 26, 2024 where it was distributed by

BayView Entertainment BayView Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company based out of Pompton Plains, New Jersey. In 2015, BayView distributed '' One Deadly Summer'' (1983) on physical media. BayView produced the film '' Skin ...

. The film was received as a

political satire Political satire is a type of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics. Political satire can also act as a tool for advancing political arguments in conditions where political speech and dissent are banned. Political satir ...

with mixed reviews from critics. Some complimented the

originality Originality is the aspect of created or invented works that distinguish them from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or substantially derivative works. The modern idea of originality is according to some scholars tied to Romanticism, by a notion ...

, humor,

special effects Special effects (often abbreviated as F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the fictional events in a story or virtual world. ...

, and performances of Weinberger and Butler, while others found issues with pacing, some dialogue, and unlikable characters. Butler received nominations for acting, screenplay, and editing at the

13th Oceanside International Film Festival The 13th Oceanside International Film Festival, is the 2024 edition of the Oceanside International Film Festival, which took place from February 20 to February 24, 2024, at Oceanside, California, United States. Opening night featured composer Ja ...

Plot

During an

epidemic An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of hosts in a given population within a short period of time. For example, in meningococcal infection ...

Hemet, California Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in Riverside County, California, United States. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto, California, San Jacinto. The population w ...

that is turning

bath salt Bath salts are water-soluble, pulverized minerals that are added to water to be used for bathing. It is said that these salts improve cleaning, enhance the enjoyment of bathing, and serve as a vehicle for cosmetic agents. Bath salts have been de ...

users into

cannibals Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is also well documente ...

, landlady Liz Topham-Myrtle (

) grows more vicious toward her tenants every day. For some, she revokes privileges such as their parking spot, while others are faced with

eviction Eviction is the removal of a Tenement (law), tenant from leasehold estate, rental property by the landlord. In some jurisdictions it may also involve the removal of persons from premises that were foreclosure, foreclosed by a mortgagee (often ...

, all for no reason other than Liz’s seemingly random cruelty. With the local

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...

also under her thumb, Liz seems unstoppable. A tenant named Rosie ( Kimberly Weinberger) tolerates Liz in fear of what might happen if she is evicted, while Gary (Matthew Rhodes) formulates a plan to overthrow his oppressor. When Gary begins enacting his plan, Liz amps up her abuse of the tenants, drawing Rosie into a web of

paranoia Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of co ...

that hurtles them all down a path of explosive violence.

Cast

Production

Riverside County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas East Hemet Highlighted 0620697

came up with the idea in 2018 and

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

took place in the summer of 2021 in

San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county (United States), county in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of California, north to its Mexico-United States border, border with Mexico. As of the 2020 United States Cen ...

. He said by the time he was finishing the script, at the start of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, he had "much more material to work with" than when he'd started, referring to the state of the world. Kimberly Weinberger, who played Rosie, attended college with Butler.

and

also worked with Butler on previous film productions. Butler was also the film's

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...

with his production company Charybdis Pictures. Justin Burquist signed on as the

director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

. Olmos' company Rosewood Five produced the film in association with Rob Padilla Jr. of Irontree Entertainment. The budget of the film was $29,000 and the setting is in

. Exterior scenes were filmed in

Ramona, California Ramona is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California. The population was 21,468 at the 2020 census, up from 20,292 at the 2010 census. The name ''Ramona'' also refers to an unincorporated community of San Diego (with so ...

and interior shots in

La Jolla La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood in San Diego, California, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. The climate is mild, with an average daily temperature o ...

Genres and themes

B movie slasher

Film Carnage indicated the film is "playing by its own rules and embracing the

b-movie A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second ...

vibe." Film Purgatory suggested a complex addition to the genre, calling it a "B-movie with A-movie ideas." 1428 Elm noted slasher elements.

Film Threat ''Film Threat'' is an American online film review publication, and earlier, a national magazine that focused primarily on independent film, although it also reviewed videos and DVDs of mainstream films, as well as Hollywood movies in theaters. ...

said it matches the tone of ''

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2'' (also known as ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2'') is a 1986 American black comedy slasher film co-composed and directed by Tobe Hooper, and written by L. M. Kit Carson. It is the sequel to ''The Texas Cha ...

'', "but with the energy of a stage play" and About Boulder noted Butler's character resembles " Granny Leatherface."

Capitalism and political satire

Jim McLennan at Film Blitz said the film "takes wild, swinging punches at everything from

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their use for the purpose of obtaining profit. This socioeconomic system has developed historically through several stages and is defined by ...

to pandemic response," noting "The apartment complex stands in for society in microcosm". He also acknowledged an expansion of ideas from Butler's previous screenplay ''

Friend of the World ''Friend of the World'' is a 2020 American independent black-and-white film written and directed by Brian Patrick Butler in his feature film debut, starring Nick Young and Alexandra Slade. The surreal experimental film takes place post-apocaly ...

'', "while remaining an exercise in the world falling apart when subjected to external pressures." Film critic Eddie Harrison suggested the film "aims to take down the American/capitalist dream in bloody, unpleasant fashion." Elements of Madness compared the foul-mouthed political nature of the film to

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, saying the film "speaks to the current groundlings about relevant issues of housing, community, safety, and the failure of the U.S. government to take care of its citizenry by focusing on capitalism over people." ''Variety'' stated that it "includes elements of political satire that highlight issues of authority and rebellion." Olmos said it is a political film about "abuse of power and how power corrupts people and can turn neighbor against neighbor." Voices from the Balcony praised the "hysterical, social and political commentary." Film critic Sean Parker at 25YL claims it is "the absurd political satire we need now". Anton Bitel at Projected Figures said, "Tony Olmos’ crude

dystopian A dystopia (lit. "bad place") is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives. It is an imagined place (possibly state) in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmenta ...

satire pits desperate tenants against a

Trumpian Trumpism, also referred to as the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, is the political movement and ideology behind U.S. president Donald Trump and his political base. It comprises ideologies such as right-wing populism, right-wing ...

lessor – and each other." Film Carnage concluded, "It’s as if you merged

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of exposin ...

with exploitation and created a strange kind of crooked comedy."

Dystopia and fairy tale

Morbidly Beautiful said it is set in the "

dystopian future A dystopia (lit. "bad place") is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives. It is an imagined place (possibly state) in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmenta ...

with

fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...

aspects." Film critic Anton Bitel also described it as a dystopia with the character Liz resembling "a

witch Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...

and a

troll A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...

for the almost fairy tale nature of her wickedness." Stuart Monroe called it a "satirical fairy tale horror." Elements of Madness said the film "fulfills its promise as a fairy tale ( Grimm style) that cautions audiences that eating the rich creates a vacuum that’s best filled with uplifting forces or we’re just going to end up where we started."

Zombie apocalypse

Critics describe the zombies in the film as people driven homicidal by bath salts.

called it an epidemic of

homeless Homelessness, also known as houselessness or being unhoused or unsheltered, is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and functional housing. It includes living on the streets, moving between temporary accommodation with family or friends, liv ...

flesh eaters, and 1428 Elm said there is "a zombie-like narrative and epidemic that plays out", but it is mostly part of the setting. Film Purgatory points out that although the zombies are not the main focus of the story, there are references to ''

Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American Independent film, independent zombie horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, written by Romero and John A. Russo, John Russo, produced by Russell Streiner and Karl Har ...

'' filmmaker George Romero and ''

28 Days Later ''28 Days Later'' (sometimes stylised with ellipsis as ''28 Days Later...'') is a 2002 post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. It stars Cillian Murphy as a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to d ...

''. Some said the film indirectly references the

Release

''Hemet'' premiered on November 18, 2023 at the

as part of San Diego Film Week. It screened at the

on February 24, 2024 and at the Hemet Film Festival on November 9, 2024. It was released on

video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films Digital distribution, digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typica ...

on November 26, 2024 and was distributed by

. In 2025, it was released on

Tubi Tubi (stylized as tubi) is an American over-the-top ad-supported streaming television service owned by Fox Corporation since 2020. The service was launched on April 1, 2014, and is based in Los Angeles, California. In 2023, Tubi, Credible L ...

Reception

Critical response

On the

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website CherryPicks, 66% of reviews are positively represented by two cherries, signifying it is "worth a trip to the theater or catching when you can." Cain Noble-Davies at

FilmInk ''FilmInk'' is an Australian film magazine published by FKP International Exports. It was founded by current publisher Dov Kornits and Colin Fraser in July 1997, in Sydney. The magazine has been through many changes over the course of its exist ...

scored it 15 out of 20, calling it " Tromaesque," comparing it to ''Delicatessen'', ''Titus Andronicus'', ''Pink Flamingos'', and stated Butler "is way too effective at portraying the final boss of all psycho biddies." Noble-Davies claimed it is "bonkers with a purpose. Its tar-black comedy and terrific

practical effects In filmmaking a practical effect is a special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post-production techniques. In some contexts, "special effect" is used as a synonym of "practical effect", in contrast to "vi ...

underpin a blunt but impactful satire on modern America, pulling various pages from the cannibal's playbook to create a uniquely cracked gem of a film." J. Zimmerman at Video Librarian highly recommended the film, scoring it 4 out of 5, calling it "a fantastic example of modern satire", "an outstanding fairy-tale-like horror flick with a smarmy edge", and "has great potential to earn the coveted position of a

cult classic A cult following is a group of Fan (person), fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some List of art media, medium. The latter is often cal ...

in the coming decades." Jim Morazzini at Voices from the Balcony gave it a 4 out of 5, saying they were "entertained and amused by this combination of crude humour and smart satire." Rebecca Cherry at Film Carnage scored it 7 out of 10, stating it's "an interesting and unusual take on a number of current issues." Douglas Davidson at Elements of Madness called it "an entertaining

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical comedy, physical humor; the use of delibe ...

that would’ve felt so far from the truth if not for recent history cementing otherwise," scoring it 3.5 out of 5. Stuart Monroe at Get On My Damn Level said the film is 3.5 out of 5 and "one mean mother of an absurdly surrealistic fairy tale." Charlotte Spark at Morbidly Beautiful gave the film 3.5 out of 5, comparing it to ''

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome ''Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'' (also known as ''Mad Max 3'') is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic dystopian action film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie and written by Terry Hayes and Miller. It is the third installment in the ''M ...

'', stating "it didn't fully resonate," but had "strong performances and quite a few laughs." Sean Parker at 25YL drew comparisons to the

Coen brothers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, together known as the Coen brothers (), are an American filmmaking duo. Their films span many genres and styles, which they frequently subvert or parody. Among their most acclaimed works are '' Blood Simple'' (198 ...

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

, and the films of

John Waters John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...

. A review at Film Blitz scored it a B– calling it a "malevolent atrocity," comparing it to ''

Tootsie ''Tootsie'' is a 1982 American satirical romantic comedy film directed by Sydney Pollack from a screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal and a story by Gelbart and Don McGuire. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, D ...

'' and ''

Monty Python's Flying Circus ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' (also known as simply ''Monty Python'') is a British surreal humour, surreal sketch comedy series created by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, w ...

.'' Eddie Harrison at film-authority scored it 3 out of 5 and said it is a gore film that is "a biting, scabrous, no-holds barred satire." Norman Gidney at HorrorBuzz scored it 6 out of 10, calling it a "campy little indie nugget of joy." Brian Fanelli at 1428 Elm said it has "heart, grit, laughs, and bloodshed" and is "for those who like something truly strange and unusual." Celia Payne at Let's Talk Terror said "It's like watching a

reality show Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...

where they all get to murder each other." Some critics who did not like the film still gave praise to the performances of Weinberger and Butler. Clotilde Chinnici at Loud and Clear Reviews gave the film 2.5 out of 5, claiming it had "tense atmosphere" but that it "could have landed a lot better if its characters had been explored more." Tim Brennan at About Boulder compared Butler's writing of dialogue to

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...

and

Diablo Cody Brook Maurio (previously Busey-Hunt; ''née'' Busey; born June 14, 1978), known professionally by the pen name Diablo Cody, is an American writer and producer. She gained recognition for her candid blog and subsequent memoir, ''Candy Girl: A Year ...

, but said he disliked the similarities between the characters' wry personalities. The Independent Critic scored it 2 out of 4 and said it is "for those who appreciate the ballsier side of indie cinema." Ryan Devir at

said it had "solid gore and impressive kills," but criticized the characters, dialogue and humor, scoring it 3.5 out of 10. Roger Moore at Movie Nation scored it 1 out of 4, stating it has "cultish comedy with a few laughs, undercooked politics and undigested zombie victims."

Accolades

References

External links

* * * * * * * {{Brian Patrick Butler 2020s American films 2020s comedy thriller films 2020s dystopian films 2020s political satire films 2020s satirical films 2020s slasher films 2023 black comedy films 2023 comedy horror films 2023 crime thriller films 2023 films 2023 horror thriller films 2023 independent films American comedy horror films American comedy thriller films American crime comedy films American crime thriller films American horror thriller films American dystopian films American films about the COVID-19 pandemic American independent films American political satire films American slasher films American splatter films BayView Entertainment films Charybdis Pictures films Crime horror films Cross-dressing in American films English-language comedy horror films English-language comedy thriller films English-language crime comedy films English-language crime thriller films English-language horror thriller films English-language independent films Films about abuse Films about bureaucracy Films about corruption in the United States Films about dictators Films about fascists Films about feuds Films about fraud Films about landlords Films about murder Films about police corruption Films about racism in the United States Films about social issues in the United States Films about totalitarianism Films about viral outbreaks Films based on Grimms' Fairy Tales Films based on works by William Shakespeare Films directed by Tony Olmos Films set in apartment buildings Films set in Riverside County, California Films shot in San Diego Films with screenplays by Brian Patrick Butler Hemet, California Rosewood Five films Works about capitalism Slasher comedy films Films about cannibalism Psycho-biddy films