Chad Ferrin Mixes Noir Style & Nasty Secrets in “DOROTHEA” (2025)
Courtesy of Dread
True crime has long been one of horror’s favorite accomplices, shaping some of the most haunting stories to ever hit the screen. From “Psycho,” inspired by Ed Gein’s real-life horrors, to “The Silence of the Lambs,” which blended criminal psychology with grotesque fascination, horror and true crime have always shared the same dark heart. Over the last few decades, filmmakers have leaned into that connection, reminding us that the scariest monsters are often the ones who look the most normal. Dread’s latest release, “Dorothea,” continues that legacy with chilling brilliance. Written and directed by Chad Ferrin, the movie doesn’t just tell a story about murder, it digs it up, dissects it, and holds it close enough for us to see the rot beneath the roses.
LETS TAKE A STAB AT THE MOVIE:
“Dorothea” tells the terrifying true story of Dorothea Puente, a seemingly sweet grandmother who murdered her tenants and buried them in her garden. On the surface, her boarding house was a refuge for the elderly and disabled. In reality, it was a trap built on deception, manipulation, and greed. Ferrin, whose previous work “Ed Kemper” helped kick off Dread’s biographical true-crime horror series, crafts this second entry with both precision and flair. It’s a movie that thrives in its details. The unsettling normalcy of its settings, the quiet horror of its performances, and the sharp wit that sneaks in when you least expect it.
Susan Priver delivers an extraordinary performance as Dorothea Puente. Her portrayal walks the line between warmth and menace so deftly that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Priver doesn’t play Dorothea as a cackling villain; she plays her as someone who genuinely believes she’s justified. She is an angel of mercy to herself, if not to anyone else. Her smile is polite, her tone gentle, and her eyes calculating. When she breaks the fourth wall, it’s both chilling and hilarious. It is a knowing wink to the audience that feels like complicity. She makes you laugh, and then she makes you question why you did. It’s easily one of the finest performances in a true-crime horror movie in recent years.
Ferrin’s direction gives the movie an intoxicating noir sensibility. Shadows stretch across wallpapered rooms, cigarette smoke curls through interrogation scenes, and every detail feels drenched in old-school crime cinema style. The lighting and set design conjure the claustrophobic mood of 1980s Sacramento while maintaining the timeless feel of a classic thriller. “Dorothea” could just as easily sit beside “Double Indemnity” or “Sunset Boulevard” as it could with modern horror staples like “The House That Jack Built.” Ferrin doesn’t just tell us a story; he seduces us with it. Simply by drawing us into a cinematic world where decay wears a fresh coat of paint.
Courtesy of Dread
The movie also benefits from Ferrin’s signature tonal balance. Known for blending shocking violence with sly humor in films like “Pig Killer” and “The Old Ones,” he brings that same twisted playfulness here. The comedic wit, especially in Dorothea’s asides to the camera, adds a dark levity that enhances rather than undercuts the horror. It’s a dangerous trick to pull off, but Ferrin nails it. These moments of self-awareness give “Dorothea” an almost theatrical energy, a sense that we’re part of the performance as much as the audience. The laughter comes nervously, uncomfortably, but it comes all the same.
The supporting cast gives the movie a rich texture of performances that complement Priver’s commanding lead. Lew Temple delivers understated heartbreak, grounding his character in quiet tragedy. Brinke Stevens and Ginger Lynn bring veteran poise and presence, while Brenda James and Cassandra Gava add emotional depth to their roles. Every actor seems perfectly in tune with Ferrin’s tone, heightened but human, grim but grounded. Even in brief appearances, each tenant feels like more than just a victim. Their personalities, quirks, and small acts of hope make their fates even more devastating.
One of the movies’ greatest strengths lies in its screenplay. Ferrin’s writing refuses to indulge in gratuitous spectacle. Instead, it focuses on atmosphere and psychology. The dialogue crackles with noir rhythm, tight, witty, and cuttingly observant. Each line reveals more about Dorothea’s twisted moral compass, her uncanny ability to rationalize the horrific. There’s also a clear respect for the truth of the story; Ferrin never turns Puente into a myth. She’s terrifying precisely because she feels real, because she was real.
Courtesy of Dread
“Dorothea” also stands out for its exploration of control and survival. The movie doesn’t excuse its subject’s crimes, but it refuses to simplify them. Through careful glimpses into Dorothea’s past, Ferrin builds a portrait of a woman molded by abuse and neglect, whose trauma eventually mutated into manipulation and murder. It’s an unsettling evolution, and it forces the audience to confront an uncomfortable question: is evil born, or is it built? In the end, the movie leaves that question hanging like a body in the basement that is best not answered, but impossible to ignore.
Visually, the movie is a feast for fans of mood and texture. The garden where Dorothea buried her victims becomes a morbid metaphor for her psyche. It is beautiful, manicured, and teeming with rot beneath the soil. The muted palette and careful cinematography evoke both the era and the dread that defines it. Each shot feels deliberate, from the lingering close-ups of Dorothea’s smiling face to the uneasy stillness of her home’s floral wallpaper. There’s a haunting rhythm to the film’s pacing, each revelation blooming like another flower in her poisonous garden.
As a whole, “Dorothea” is another testament to Chad Ferrin’s genius as a filmmaker. He’s carved out a unique space in horror; one where historical accuracy and cinematic daring collide. Much like “Ed Kemper,” this movie doesn’t just retell a crime, it reframes it, forcing audiences to examine the strange allure of real-life evil. Ferrin knows that horror isn’t just about blood; it’s about empathy, curiosity, and the perverse comfort of looking at something we shouldn’t. His direction proves once again that he’s one of the most daring voices in cinema today. When I interviewed Chad Ferrin after watching the movie, he mentioned the reason why he choose Dorothea Puente as his subject:
Courtesy of Dread
“She checked all the boxes. The period is great, the California aspect is great, so I don’t have to travel. I dove into the research and was just blown away. The script kind of started writing itself.”
He also mentioned a few things regarding his process for making the movie:
“It would’ve been a great experience with Sharon Stone, but I’m not into the Hollywood bullshit. I like having my little family of film crew and cast, you get them together and it’s like having a barbecue. You crank these out and have a good time.”
We both also had quite a positive back in forth when it came to his star Susan Priver playing Dorothea:
“It was a joy to show up every day and see what she did with it. Being an audience member in the director’s chair, every day was exciting and thrilling to see what she came up with.”
We even had a chance to not only talk about his great process with the movie and performances, but also what he has in store for fans next with his project focusing on Richard Ramirez:
“If you’re going to do Ramirez, it has got to be a balls-to-the-wall horror movie. It’s got to be scary. He’s kind of the rock star of true crime serial killers.”
Courtesy of Dread
“Dorothea” is a triumph of tone, storytelling, and performance. It’s a movie that captures the uneasy beauty of true-crime horror: the way evil can wear pearls, serve cookies, and still dig a grave in the backyard before sundown. Susan Priver shines, Chad Ferrin continues his run of creative brilliance, and Dread’s true-crime slate cements itself as one of the most exciting horror ventures in years. If “Ed Kemper” was the spark, “Dorothea” is the flame, and with “Richard Ramirez” on the horizon, it looks like Ferrin and Dread are just getting started.
Something to keep in mind is that by the movies’ end, “Dorothea” doesn’t offer catharsis, it offers confrontation. The closing moments leave you unsettled, not because of the violence, but because of how ordinary it all feels. Dorothea Puente’s world is filled with pastel colors, polite manners, and pleasant smiles, until you realize that beneath it all lies the quiet hum of horror.
Whether it’s slashers in the woods, ghosts in the attic, or killers in the cornfield, ILHM Reviews brings you the frightful horror flick recommendations worth watching. Follow us on Instagram, be sure to listen to the the "I Love Horror" podcast and remember that if you’re a true fan of horror, every night can be a FRIGHT NIGHT!
