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Published 19:18 2 May 2026 BST
Updated 11:20 3 May 2026 BST

Touch Me, a new sci-fi horror comedy drama destined for cult status, is available to rent at home from next week.
The film follows Craig (Jordan Gavaris, Orphan Black) and Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley, The Vatican Tapes), two troubled, codependent friends who live together in Los Angeles.
When a plumbing issue renders the pair's home unlivable, Joey suggests they temporarily move in with her mysterious ex-boyfriend, Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci, Spring), who has been trying to reconnect with her.
Upon arriving at his compound in the desert, Craig discovers the truth about Brian, which Joey had been hiding.
He is an alien who claims to be on a mission to save humanity from pollution, whose touch induces a euphoric sensation.
Joey had run away from Brian before, fearing his power. Now, however, she finds herself chasing the high of his touch. Soon enough, Craig will be seeking it too.
Touch Me gets a lot of mileage out of its ingeniously funny premise. That is essentially: What if your romantic partner - the type you know is bad for you, but you can't help but be drawn to - was actually an enigmatic alien whose touch makes all negativity disappear?
Writer-director Addison Heimann (Hypochondriac) uses this set-up as a jumping-off point to bravely explore several dark real-world topics, with the story delving into why Craig and Joey feel like they need the alien Brian's embrace in the first place.
Yet, because of the fantastical set-up, there is a welcome dose of humour and levity, something that would be missing from a straight-up drama covering the same themes.
Similar to Widow's Bay, another recently acclaimed genre-defying project, Touch Me boasts a near-seamless blend of genres and tones, aided by a well-chosen cast.
Pucci is fascinating to watch as the alluring yet conceited and smarmy extraterrestrial. Gavaris and Dudley consistently score big laughs while also being vulnerable, unravelling their characters' trauma in a way that makes them feel believable.
Touch Me's successful genre-bending is also helped by Heimann's always stylish but ever-shifting direction. The movie begins with a nine-minute unbroken straight-to-camera monologue that playfully and speedily draws comparisons between the story's fantasy elements and their metaphorical significance for everyday issues people face.
Yet, after this formally restrained opening, Touch Me is full of visual ingenuity. There are off-kilter editing transitions and pop-up animations, extended dance scenes, dream sequences, a silent film homage, and some bizarre and unforgettable scenes of alien/human carnal relations.
Touch Me won't be for everyone. It's quirky and zany, and doesn't wrap up all its plot threads in a neat bow. In fact, one of its funniest gags sees a supporting character trying to understand everything that has transpired in the story, picking apart the tale for inconsistencies.
Yet, if you feel that too many genre movies play it safe and avoid risk-taking, and are seeking something adventurous and offbeat, Touch Me may be the film for you.
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