'The Horror of Dolores Roach' review: 'Sweeney Todd' retelling is a gory blast
2022 may have been the year of cannibalism in film and TV, but 2023 is the year of Sweeney Todd.
On top of a Tony-winning Broadway revival, the famed tale of a murderous barber and his downstairs neighbor's human meat pies has made itself at home on our TV screens. Musical farce Schmigadoon! parodied Sweeney Todd in its second season — complete with an Annie mashup, no less. Now, Prime Video's The Horror of Dolores Roach puts a modern spin on Sweeney's story, swapping the barber shop for a makeshift massage parlor and those cursed pies for empanadas. It's an exceptionally fun twist that blends razor-sharp comedy, moments of drama, and truly gut-churning horror, paying tribute to Sweeney Todd while holding its own.
What's The Horror of Dolores Roach about?
Based on the Gimlet podcast of the same name and the one-woman play Empanada Loca, both by Aaron Mark, The Horror of Dolores Roach introduces us to a woman who's fallen on hard times — and whose attempts to start a new life will lead down a truly horrorific path.
As the series opens, Dolores Roach (Justina Machado) returns to Washington Heights after serving 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute. Yet the neighborhood she finds herself in bears no resemblance to the home she once knew. Gentrification is in full swing. The marijuana she was once busted for is now nearly legal, and her old flame, drug dealer Dominic (Anthony Grant), is nowhere to be found.
Only one thing remains of Dolores' past: Empanada Loca, a restaurant run by her friend Luis (Alejandro Hernandez).
"Like a mirage in the desert," she describes the establishment, stumbling across the street towards it like it's her last chance at salvation. And for a time, it seems to be. Luis is all too happy to let Dolores stay in his downstairs apartment, free of charge. There, Dolores sets up shop as a masseuse, using the skills she picked up in prison that earned her the nickname "Magic Hands."
But when external forces threaten to ruin the new life she's building for herself, Dolores resorts to some pretty extreme survival tactics to stay afloat. Let's just say, necks get snapped, blood gets spilled, and Luis' empanadas get a mysterious new secret ingredient — that people can't get enough of.
The Horror of Dolores Roach gives us a twisted new duo in Dolores and Luis.
As wild as the premise of "cannibalistic empanadas" is, the true hook of The Horror of Dolores Roach is Dolores herself. In Machado's hands, we see Dolores' desperation, anxiety, and pure rage over the bad hand life has dealt her. Thanks to her tragic past and her determination to get back on her feet, it's easy to sympathize with our protagonist. Even when she starts murdering clients, her inner conflict is crystal clear; she doesn't want to kill, but if she must, she'll justify it with a "survival of the fittest" ethos.
As wild as the premise of "cannibalistic empanadas" is, the true hook of 'The Horror of Dolores Roach' is Dolores herself.
Contrast Dolores' horror at her sinister personal growth with the character of Luis, who views the sudden stockpile of human flesh in his basement as less a crime, more an opportunity. Delighting in his new culinary experiments and all the business they bring in, he assures Dolores that nothing will go wrong as long as they hide in plain sight. Of course, Luis' ill-advised schemes to cover up Dolores' murders mean a few close shaves for the pair, and Hernandez brings exactly the kind of loose-cannon energy Luis deserves. An onscreen cannibal has never been quite so funny.
Together, this gender-swapped version of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett make quite a pair — although Dolores and Luis are different enough from the roles that inspired them that they don't feel derivative. Unlike Sweeney, Dolores does not seek to kill for revenge; more than a few times, her murders are accidental or botched attempts at self-defense. And while neither Sweeney nor Mrs. Lovett tend to partake of their own human pies, Luis can't wait to try this rarest of delicacies, adding another horrific crunchy layer to his character.
The Horror of Dolores Roach is an absolute blast of a horror-comedy.
The Horror of Dolores Roach presents a thrilling marriage between the grisly and the downright hilarious. The series delights in the squeamish horrors of butchered human body parts and bathtubs brimming with blood, boasting some impressive practical effects that may make you think twice about eating another empanada.
Yet even as the bodies pile up, The Horror of Dolores Roach can't help cracking dark jokes about them. "We serve the community," Luis proudly tells customers, and you can't help but chuckle and squirm at the double entendre. Elsewhere, he and Dolores get into some wild arguments about proper body disposal methods, and much of the murder involves some level of slapstick. Not only is the latter hilarious, but it also helps keep The Horror of Dolores Roach's most grisly scenes fresh and surprising.
However, The Horror of Dolores Roach falters occasionally as it explores the more dramatic, grounded aspects of its story. A subplot involving Dolores tracking down Dominic lacks a satisfying payoff. (It's possible to see how this could be explored in a potential Season 2, though.) Otherwise, side characters like hard-to-impress shop girl Nellie (Kita Updike) and curious meat delivery man Jeremiah (K. Todd Freeman) are shortchanged, lacking the meaty character arcs of the show's central gruesome twosome.
Yet, the most frustrating element of the show is its over-reliance on voiceover. Given that the series is based on a one-woman play and a podcast, it makes sense that Dolores' internal monologue would figure into the TV adapation. The Horror of Dolores Roach justifies this monologue with a framing device in which Dolores tells her story to the actress playing her in an acclaimed Broadway play (one of many meta references to the project's origins). Unfortunately, Dolores' voiceover interjections — and the fact that the frame narrative disappears for much of the season — distract more than they enhance. While some of her lines are absolutely hilarious, others, such as her descriptions of being angry or worried, are unnecessary and even stifling. We don't need Dolores to tell us how she felt; we're more than capable of understanding her emotions through Machado's sensational performance.
In spite of these issues, The Horror of Dolores Roach remains a wonderfully wild watch, all while proving a solid addition to 2023's Sweeney Todd trend. If you're looking for gross-out horror-comedy and some cheeky musical theater references, you'll find it here. Just... maybe don't eat any meat while watching.
All episodes of The Horror of Dolores Roach are now streaming on Prime Video.