Divorced, unemployed, estranged from his insanely spoiled young daughter, and possibly terminally ill, Frank has a lot of repressed rage. Unable to shake his depression and lethargy, he spends his time in front of the television. Inundated with abrasive talk show pundits, church members dedicated to a gospel of hate, and atrocious reality T.V., Frank becomes increasingly disgusted with the downward spiral of America.
Having nothing to lose, Frank takes his gun and sets off on a mission to whack the stupidest, cruelest, and most obnoxious members of society. Sixteen-year-old Roxy, another angry loner, becomes his sidekick.
I'm not sure what to say about this movie. I was predisposed to hate it, so I may not be objective. Hubby and older daughter were watching it, so I gave it a go -- expecting to walk out after 15 minutes. So I suppose you could take the fact that I stuck around until the closing credits as evidence that it exceeded my expectations. However, I am not a fan.
First, I have a limited appreciation for dark comedy. Death at a Funeral? Yes! Pulp Fiction? Definitely! But this stepped over lines I wasn't willing to cross. Mainly because one of the killers and one of the victims were kids. I guess that brings out the mom in me.
But I might be able to forgive that -- after all this movie doesn't really expect to be taken too seriously. My main issue was that I just didn't feel this film worked, either as a comedy or a drama. It wasn't funny enough to carry its weight as a comedy, but it didn't work on a serious level, either.
It did work, to some degree, as a satire, but the satire was delivered with all the subtlety of an AK-47. And it may offer a bit of vicarious gratification to everyone who's had their minds blown by the ever-increasing stupidity they see in the world. We get glimpses of those whack jobs from Westboro Baptist, hear about Rush Limbaugh's latest drivel, or ponder the popularity of insane reality T.V. shows. So maybe folks can be forgiven for concluding that a large percentage of humanity has sunk to levels of idiocy too mind-blowing to fathom. If you enjoy over-the-top satire in that vein, this movie might be for you.
Memorable Quote: Jesus, Frank, you look like fuck pie!
Meet your friendly neighborhood vigilante team.
Because some people are just too damned stupid to live.
Rating: (2.5/5)
| Cherished Favorite | Excellent Film | Good Movie | Meh | Definitely Not For Me |
Well, dear hubby liked it. It was a sad commentary on society, but well done.
ReplyDeleteHey, dear hubby. I guess it was a sad commentary on society. :-) I just didn't feel it was all that well done. I did appreciate Joel Murray's acting though.
DeleteGreat review. I heard about this film when it first came out, but I stayed away. I think I'll continue to do that. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy husband and daughter really liked this one, but it didn't do a thing for me. Maybe it's one of those "love it or hate it" deals. :-)
Delete