He Went That Way

• 37
  Metascore
• 2023
• 1 Hr 35 Mins
• Suspense, Drama

1964: The US is in political turmoil due to the war and serial killers are on the road. Jim Goodwin, an animal trainer accompanied by his famous pet chimpanzee, Spanky, picks up a hitchhiker named Bobby Falls at a gas station en route to Chicago. The two get to meet each other. Bobby reveals he was discharged from the Air Force and gets introduced to the chimp. They stop at a motel in Albuquerque and, while Jim pays for a room to spend the night, Bobby steals a handgun from a parked car and points it at Jim, revealing he is a serial killer. The latter, by knowing information about him and actually being nice to him, gets spared. Although Bobby threatens to kill Spanky if he tells anything to the cops. Through flashbacks of his past killings, it's shown that Bobby had an abusive father and is triggered when he feels disrespected. The next day they stop at Amarillo, where Jim meets his brother-in-law Saul, who owes him money, and confesses both him and Spanky are having a hard time getting job offers. Saul laughs him off and humiliates him in front of Bobby, enraged, he locks Jim in Spanky's cage and shoots Saul before driving away. Since Jim broke an earlier promise of keeping things low cover, Bobby takes charge of the ride and makes Jim swear he won't lie again. Later that day, they change clothes to go to a Ballroom Dancing in Tulsa. Bobby seems nervous at the thought of speaking to girls, so Jim gives him confidence by bringing Spanky with them. Since the girls have a weird feeling about Bobby, Jim calms them down by claiming he's just an actor. Jim talks to Bobby about controlling his impulses and being gentle, but Bobby takes him to the edge to win his trust by making him watch kiss the girls without consent, stealing from a shop and feeding Spanky. When they get to Chicago, Jim gets Bobby's gun off him, betraying the killer, who attempts to choke him, but runs away. Jim follows him and gifts him a Spanky flyer and Tulsa's clothes and says goodbye. Bobby keeps on following his murder spree until he gets arrested by the Michigan police and sentenced to life in prison while Jim and Spanky's shows get back on air. After the chimp's passing, he retires and goes on to remarry and live in Argentina.