Cert 15 97mins Stars 3

You have to take a bite from this stomach churning horror story to taste the sweet sadness under its skin.

The script from first time director and writer, Michael O’Shea, plays on our understanding of the long history of cinematic vampires. With wry humour he neatly skewers other big screen portrayals of the undead, with the Twilight series getting it in the neck more than most.

Far from the European aristocratic realm of Count Dracula, the story is set among the urban grime of contemporary New York.

The natural performances suit the almost documentary filmmaking approach, capitalising on a daringly original twist on the monster myth.

Teenage Milo is fascinated and repulsed by his vampirism, trying to hold on to his humanity while learning about his bloodsucking condition.

He begins a relationship with new girl on the block, Sophie. They’re drawn together by the chaos of their environment, But Milo can’t tell her his sickening truth.