Directed By: Clark Gregg
Written By: Clark Gregg
Based On The Original Novel By: Chuck Palahniuk
Cinematography By: Tim Orr
Editor: Joe Klotz
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Bijou Phillips, Anjelica Huston, Kelly McDonald, Paz De La Huerta, Clark Gregg, Joel Grey, Heather Burns, Brad William Henke, Gillian Jacobs, Matt Malloy
Sex addict and colonial theme park worker, Victor Mancini, has devised a complicated scam to pay for his mom’s hospital bills while she suffers from an Alzheimer’s disease that hides the truth about his childhood. He pretends to choke on food in a restaurant and the person who “saves” him will feel responsible for Victor for the rest of their lives.
This film may be a revelation as a sex comedy to people who haven’t read the book but if you hae it is rather tame and almost lifeless. The excitement and outrageous fun that there was in the novel has been changed and muted. There seems to be no passion in this film. Things just seem to happen and stand there. it’s not horrible but is very disappointing.
This is probably one of the few times that I have actually read the source novel before seeing the film. This is another case of trust me reading the novel is a lot more exciting and interesting then watching the movie. The book is even more vivid. That maybe because when reading it you are picturing in your own mind the story and pictures on your own so that pretty much when and if it. The book is made into a film probably will never equal what you had in your own mind. It’s the same way with songs and music videos. The more talented directors can come up with visuals that are so good that they make you forget your own vision and like what they present more. This is not one of those times.
It’s not all bad there are some entertaining well played scenes but like the slacker protagonist. The film seems to just lay there and let things pass it by it lacks ambition.
Now I love Sam Rockwell but I feel he was miscast in the role I more envisioned Billy Crudup (Almost Famous) from the description in the book. I know maybe it was more subtle for women who were strangers to let there guard down around a normal looking guy which made it easier fr him to seduce but for the audiences sake it might have been more believable with a better looking leading man.
The actors all give it a try but there are truly no standouts they all do a adequate job but all seem rather more interested in just collecting there pay which is disappointing again because with a cast that has Sam Rockwell and Kelly McDonald as the leads I guess I expected more.
The way director Clark Gregg treats the material is with no flair like he was a hack hired by the studio to helm this movie maybe it’s his history as a actor that leads him to believe that character and dialogue are the most important aspect of this film so setting up confrontations is what is more important to him and that is fine but as evidenced in “Fight Club” particularly in the writing of Chuck Palahniuk is smart, cynical, witty and profound. Is what is missing here he also at most is visual so this film doesn’t feel whole it’s got the language but lacks the visuals.
Speaking of the visuals here they seem washed out and dull. It’s not riveting as the subject matter that they present would have you believe.
The film feels like the work of a director who wants to get noticed so he decided to use a book with sensationalistic material to dress it up and show how he can make it tame and accessable for a mass audience the only problem is that there seems to be no effort it’s one thing to be low key and not want to use too much extreme camera work but there is also a thing called uninspired now as a actor the director Clark Gregg should know better when even if you are not the biggest fan of the material or don’t understand it you should still give it your all.
If your just looking to be entertained this could be a shock to your system. I would describe the plot but it is so wild and goes to many places that it is better if you watch it and discover it for yourself.
It comes off as a passionless exercise I would definitely say wait for cable
GRADE: C
Cut To The Chase 