‘This is the not-so-true story of four vampires picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped. Find out what happens when bloodsuckers stop being polite, and start getting real … ‘The Real World’!”
A take-off on the quintessential MTV reality show’s famous intro comes to mind immediately during “What We Do in the Shadows,” a slyly hilarious mockumentary about a group of vampires “flatting” together in Wellington, New Zealand. Co-directed by Jemaine Clement of “Flight of the Conchords” fame, Shadows takes what could have been a one-joke, “Saturday Night Live” sketch and turns it into a very funny, and occasionally even touching, take on brotherhood and friendship.
Taika Waititi, who is the other co-director, is Viago, a dandy from a previous century and our guide to the house. He introduces us to his roomies: 8,000-year-old Nosferatu wanna-be Petyr (Ben Fransham), ladies’ man Vladislav (Clement) and bad boy Deacon (Jonathan Brugh).
It takes a little time for “Shadows” to get going as the guys argue about who does the dishes. If the movie had stayed on this level, it would have been just a very long bit sketch. But things really take off when human Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Maceur) — whom they turn into a vampire — and his software-engineer pal, Stu (Stuart Rutherford) — whom they don’t — become friends with the group. How Nick deals with his new identity and shy Stu handles his new friendships give the film a bit more emotional, and comedic, depth.
