Vintage Violence is an absurdist crime thriller for phone addicts

<figure> <img alt="A still image from the film Vintage Violence." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: TIFF" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Vintage_Violence_03.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are a lot of movies that have tried to seamlessly integrate modern tech - text messages, livestreams, etc. - into their storytelling. Some of the most novel attempts have been in the genre space, like the Twitch-style horror flick <em>Deadstream</em>. But the most chaotic to date might just be <em>Vintage Violence</em>, an absurd crime thriller with lots of blood, jokes, and screentime.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I was able to catch <em>Vintage Violence</em>, the latest from director Eugene Kotlyarenko, on my fifth day at the Toronto International Film Festival. Kotlyarenko has previously explored our hyper-connected culture in 2020's<em> Spree</em>, a movie in which <em>Stranger Things</em>' Joe Keery pl …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/995472/tiff-2026-vintage-violence-the-devils-gentle-monster">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>