TEACHER’S PET

(director/writer: Noam, Kroll; cinematographer: Noam Kroll; editor: Noam Kroll; music: Craig Saltz; cast: Kevin Makely (Jack), Drew Powell (Det. Sommers), Sara Tomko (Mrs. Estrada, guidance counselor), Barbara Crampton (Sylvia), Michelle Torian (Clara), Luke Barnett (Mr. Heller), Clayton Royal Johnson (Zach); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Noam Kroll, Brian Hanson, Sheldon Brigman, Kayli Fortun, Richard Handley; ; 2025)

“Requires a suspension of belief to get through its outrageous plot.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Noam Kroll (“Disappearing Boy”/”Shadows on the road”) is the indie director/writer of this low budget psychological serial killer thriller that requires a suspension of belief to get through its outrageous plot.

In an unnamed affluent American town, Clara (Michelle Torian) is a smart and ambitious creative writing student in the English class of the new substitute English teacher Mr. Heller (Luke Barnett), replacing the regular teacher who committed suicide. The petulant senior is relieved she’s been accepted into Yale University and will get away from her abusive foster father, Jack (Kevin Makely), and her nice but enabling foster mother Sylvia (Barbara Crampton). They receive government checks for adopting her.

Clara has a student drug dealer boyfriend (Clayton Royal Johnson) and does drugs. She also becomes Mr. Heller’s favorite pupil, and her classmates thereby call her the ‘teacher’s pet.’

After the duo have a good student-teacher relationship, things change and it becomes obvious the teacher is a psycho as he turns creepy. Clara will have to use her smarts to not become another victim of the sicko serial killer.

It played at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 2/26/2026  GRADE: C+
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