Sweetness – Movie Review | Fantasia (4/5)

SWEETNESS is a new idol obsession thriller that goes full horror before the end credits hit you. It manages to pull you in while delivering one unexpected escalation after another. Screened at Fantasia 2025. Read our full Sweetness movie review here!

SWEETNESS is a thriller that packs a punch. It dives into our obsession with celebrities while also acknowledging one of the main reasons for this phenomenon. Sometimes, people (especially teenagers) just need to feel like someone understands them when they’re hurting.

Of course, this isn’t about a teenager finally feeling like everything is going her way. Quite the opposite. And yet, you probably will have moments where you can understand her motivation, though, obviously, while recognizing that she has some serious issues.

Continue reading our Sweetness movie review below. Screened at Fantasia 2025.

Music as an escape

Rylee (Kate Hallett) is a teenager who does not love school because she’s ruthlessly bullied. She’s also still grieving the death of her mom, and her dad, Ron (Justin Chatwin), is a cop and not the kind you hope to meet. His temper is awful, and he has no idea of how to interact with his teenage daughter.

His girlfriend, Marnie (Amanda Brugel), is much better, though she gets rejected by Rylee, who is not interested in getting a “new mom”. She does have one good friend, Sid (Aya Furukawa), and that’s enough for Rylee, who doesn’t need popularity to be happy.

The highlight of her life is listening to songs by the Norwegian – not Swedish, as listed a few places – pop star, Payton (Herman Tømmeraas). He’s the lead singer of the band Floorplan, and now she will finally get to see him live in concert.

Everything else fades away, and everything from deep grief to her bullies can be handled when she sees him on stage.

Never meet your idols

With Sweetness, we’re getting yet another example of why the saying “Never meet your idols” continues to be confirmed. After the concert, Rylee is left by Sid, who wants to hook up with a boy, so they agree to meet up later.

While Rylee is waiting for Sid to get back, she meets Payton. Not in any way she ever expected. Turns out her idol, Payton, is still actively under the influence of any drug he can find. Despite having publicly declared his sobriety, he cannot handle the pressure of the tour without a little “help”.

He escapes his management after the concert, gets behind the wheel under the influence, and hits Rylee in the stadium parking lot. She’s shocked to see who hit her, and when he panics and offers her a ride home to cover his tracks, she cannot believe her luck.

Alone with Payton, this is the stuff of fanfiction and Rylee’s personal daydreams.

Unfortunately, everything evolves in unexpected ways and escalates from there. Specifically due to Payton’s inebriated state, which leads to him crashing the car near Rylee’s home. She decides to take him home, and realizing how deep into addiction he is, she decides to “help” him.

What follows is something that I can only describe as fanfiction meets Misery. Rylee is no Annie Wilkes, but she just might grow up to become something very similar.

Watch Sweetness as soon as you can

This is the first feature film from director and director Emma Higgins, and I am a huge fan right off the bat. She manages to take this story into wild and unexpected directions. You may think it sounds too crazy, but I can remember hearing plenty of celebrity stalker cases that are equally crazy.

Filmmaker Emma Higgins has a lot of experience in music video directing, which serves her well in this movie. From the concert scenes to the way the pop star Payton is presented, it feels very natural and realistic.

This new thriller enjoyed its World Premiere at SXSW, and we’re screening and reviewing this movie as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage. The movie is still screening at film festivals all over the world, so watch it when you get the chance.

Sweetness has its Canadian Premiere at Fantasia 2025.

Details

Director: Emma Higgins
Writer: Emma Higgins
Stars: Kate Hallet, Herman Tømmeraas, Aya Furukawa, Amanda Brugel, Justin Chatwin, Steven Ogg