Control Freak is a 2025 American body horror film written and directed by Shal Ngo. It stars Kelly Marie Tran, Miles Robbins, Kieu Chinh, and Scott Takeda.
The film was released on Hulu on March 13, 2025. It received positive reviews.
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Plot
Valerie "Val" Nguyen is a successful motivational speaker who secretly struggles with a compulsive urge to scratch the back of her head. This behavior intensifies following the death of her mother, Chi, which occurred during a traumatic boating accident in Val's childhood.
As Val prepares for an international tour, she discovers she needs her birth certificate, prompting her to reconnect with her estranged family. Her Aunt Thuy directs her to her father, Sang, a former soldier turned monk, who possesses the necessary documents. Val's relationship with Sang is strained due to past traumas, including her mother's death and Sang's history of addiction.
During her visit, Sang tells her a Vietnamese folk tale about the Sanshi, a parasitic ghost that feeds on human hosts, driving them to destructive compulsions. Val dismisses the story until she uncovers old photographs of her mother with mysterious rashes, suggesting a familial curse.
