A heartbroken man goes on a retreat to cleanse out his demons in The Master Cleanse. Paul (Johnny Galecki) is a man whose life is a mess after his fiance left him at the alter. Paul finds out about a cleansing retreat run by Ken Roberts (Oliver Platt), which he decides to participate in, along with Maggie (Anna Friel), Eric (Kyle Gallner), and Laurie (Diana Bang). Upon arrival, everyone is given a cleansing solution by coordinator Lily (Anjelica Huston), which is specially formulated for each individual. However, it quickly becomes apparent that this is no normal type of cleanse.
The Master Cleanse is a dark comedy that takes the concept of fighting your inner demons quite literally. Those participating in this cleansing retreat quickly realize that solution that they were given results in the creation of little reptilian creatures, which are a physical representation of their inner negativity. However, even though these little monsters are quite cute, they can become dangerous if not kept in check.
Like 2013’s Bad Milo, The Master Cleanse seems to be throwback to the creature features of the 1980s, complete with some wonderfully constructed practical puppets. The creatures of The Master Cleanse are quite cute and reminiscent of the Mogwais from Gremlins, to the point that you start worrying about them eating after midnight. While the film does seem to rush its resolution a little bit, The Master Cleanse is still a wonderful little dark comedy.
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