Directed by: Don Cato Starring: Jeannie Noth and Katha Cato

Here comes Santa Claus… duck and cover!

Who else has harbored secret desires to murder some fluffy fictional icon: the Easter Bunny…Barney…the Family Guy?

Somebody…? Anybody…? …Just me, huh? …Really? Well then, thank goodness for Don and Katha Cato, whose absurdist black comedy chronicles the fictitious account of neurotic woman “A” (no, really, that’s the character’s name), a thrall of the vigilante named “B,” who is consumed with hatred for Santa Claus and all the materialism and disillusionment ensuing from the commercial encouragement of Santa’s yearly rituals. B hatches a conspiracy to do something (very drastic) about all of this.

Co-producer and star Katha Cato is chillingly convincing as the eccentric B, who watches from a distance while Jeannie Noth’s A discharges all the preparations on B’s “list” with diligence and care. Katha and her husband, director Don Cato, shot the film themselves on-again-and-off-again beginning in 1998, yet they have managed to retain a current sensibility. The first act endearingly employs all manner of no-budget indie tricks to establish its set-up. Fortunately for them (and us), the story is so cleverly written that it keeps us intrigued until we arrive at the meat of things, when A finally confronts B and the depravity of B’s real intentions are revealed.

Noth receives major credit for buoying up the bare-bones suspense. There is so much life in her performance that you forget she spends half the time talking on the phone—or to herself—until the nervewracking third act. Why we’ve not seen more of this deft and comely actress is the real mystery to me. 

The story premise is pretty loose and might be difficult to embrace were it not for Noth’s brilliantly drawn portrayal of an emotionally needy, approval-starved, rebellious socialite at the tipping point. Her likeable confusion and eagerness to please at the outset won me over and I gladly followed her down the plot’s convoluted rabbit hole. Noth’s sincerity and this smart script nudged me forward until I suddenly realized I’d been plopped right on the outskirts of Crazytown. And there was nowhere to go, but through. 

Mr. Cato has certainly made good use of all the tricks he’s learned working as a formally trained landscape architect, commercial director, photographer, cinematographer, and filmmaker. Be My Oswald is a seductively entertaining and relevant poke at the excesses nurtured by our 24/7 obsession with conspicuous consumption.

Check out the website for updates on screenings, other cool stuff, and (one can only hope) video release.