In Sickness and In Health (2008)

Directed By: John Landis


Starring: Maggie Lawson, John Roday


The Main Review: In Sickness and In Health was an 2008 episode in Fear Itself, an NBC horror anthology series. It follows Samantha on her wedding day. She's marrying Carlos, who she loves despite having known him a short amount of time. Many people think she's rushing the wedding  - her brother, Steven, isn't even attending. One of her bridesmaids gives her a note that the priest entrusted to her after receiving it, himself, from a woman in a red headscarf. The letter tells her something truly disturbing about her betrothed. And, she spends the rest of the movie freaking out and telling everyone to forget that she ever even got a note.

But, of course, it can't be that simple! There has to be some sort of twist.

Samantha marries Carlos despite this letter but avoids the hell out of him and acts really wigged out around her bridesmaids. Of course, there are tons of scenes where Carlos acts suspicious and creepy. After getting shouted out by one of the bridesmaids, Carlos starts to make a scene at their wedding reception. Samantha offers to talk to him, so they go inside the creepy Catholic church. 

Here's Where It Gets Spoilerific: Carlos inquires after the note and Samantha really doesn't want to share it's contents. She is noticeably afraid of him and he spooks her some more until she's hides in a confessional. At this point, it seems as though there really may be no twist to the movie and Carlos may actually be a serial killer. Either that or a jerk. So, he sits on the other side and does admit to... going out with another woman while they were together, believing that's what the letter told his wife. Oh, wait, he's not a serial killer?

But, Samantha totally is. We see that the woman in a red headscarf is her brother, Steven. We get a good look at Sam and Steven's shared home, which is full of dead bodies and heads in jars, Samantha tells her husband that the note wasn't intended for her but for him. Carlos asks Sam to, one day, tell him what the note said and Samantha responds with a creepy "Yes" and the film ends.

Scenes To Watch Out For: When Carlos notices that his wife is scared of him and, instead of trying to calm her down, tries to frighten her more by chasing her around an empty Church that has way too many statues of saints being killed.

Anything Else: Throughout this entire film I was, like, "She's the serial killer. It's her. It's gotta be her. It'd be so cool if she ended up being the serial killer." And, the minute I abandon this notion, she ends up being the serial killer. Well played, movie.