MIFF 2014: Obvious Child

Okay, to be perfectly honest, the main reason I wanted to see this film was because of the director. Or, to be more specific, the director's name. Her name is Gillian Ropespierre, and if that doesn't also make you want to immediately see this film then we can't be friends. After watching the trailer, I was intrigued into what sort of film this would turn into, since it's tackling a subject that is quite controversial in America, abortion. And it's a comedy. How could this work? Could this work? Well, I am pleased to say that it can.

Donna (Jenny Slate), a comedienne who also works in a bookshop, is dumped after one of her sets by her boyfriend, who also reveals that he has been cheating on her with one of her friends. After having a one night stand with Max (Jake Lacy), Donna discovers that she is pregnant and, realising that she isn't ready for motherhood, decides to have an abortion. Meanwhile, as she and Max grow closer, she tries to tell him of her decision, while also trying to get a grip on her quickly deteriorating life.

First up, this film tackles a subject that most rom-coms shy away from in both a funny and honest way. Most rom-coms that revolve around unexpected pregnancy don't even consider other options to having the baby, despite how immature the parents may be. And, most importantly, Obvious Child doesn't condemn Donna for deciding to get an abortion. And I applauded the film for taking a controversial subject and not making it a message film. It's not about being pro-choice or pro-life, it's just about one persons decision. It doesn't treat it like a be all and end all situation, it's just another event in her life that she learns and grows from.

But I think the crowning glory of Obvious Child is the way it takes quite a serious subject and making it funny! And this film is pretty hilarious! I think it was Kevin Smith who once said "The big bucks are in dick and fart jokes". If that is the case then this film should make millions. Most of the humour is dialogue and character based, but it's centered in a realistic setting, which basically means that the film doesn't go out of its way to create comedic set-points that would not happen in real life. That being said, most of the dialogue is full of bodily fluids, genitalia, and of course, dicks and farts. And it is gloriously funny!

 
Unlike other films that uses crude, gross-out humour to make shock jokes that aren't actually that funny when you get past the shock factor, Obvious Child uses this sort of humour for the characters to hide behind. Donna herself has problems talking face to face with people, and so uses her comedic routines to address the important issues in her life. And again, this masking humour is used in the conversations between Max and Donna, where they tease each other instead of talking about things that need to be talked about.

This way of using humour creates a vulnerability in Donna that is both relatable and honest. And this also comes through in Jenny Slate's acting. I haven't come across Slate before, apparently she was in Parks and Recreation, but I haven't watched that... yet. I hope she does some more films, and I also hope that Gillian Robespierre makes more films, since this is one of the funniest American comedies I have seen in a long while. It was also nice to Gabby Hoffmann in a role after years of not doing much. And here, playing Donna's feminist amd free-spirited roommate, Nellie, she really has come a long way from her roles in pre-teen melodramas.

I suppose I should also talk about the romance briefly, and it's not bad. The biggest complaint I have is that Max does come across like a saint at times, which is a problem a lot of rom-coms have. But I am glad that he and Donna don't do the whole 'love at first sight' thing. There is an attraction, there is sex, but the relationship part takes time to grow and develop throughout the film. And there is a chemistry between Slate and Lacy that makes their interactions seem natural.

So, if you're tired of the general paint-by-numbers rom-coms that are still being produced, then you should check this one out. The characters are awesome and realistic, the acting is great, it tackles a controversial subject while also making dick and fart jokes. What more could you want? Until next time, readers.

Big Nothing and Catch and Release

I did this a little while ago, with my double review of Bitten and Fanboys. And since no arty films have crossed my eyes recently, so let's look at a couple of other DVD's I have seen reently. These are two more underrrated gems that I found lying around on the shelves on Video Ezy and The Reject Shop, British (yet set in America, but we'll get to that later) dark comedy Big Nothing and American rom-com Catch and Release. Both I found exceptionally funny, flawed of course and both unfortunately underrated.

So, we shall start with the one that is infinitely harder to talk about, Big Nothing. And why is this so hard to talk about? Because it's bat-shit insane! Oh god, is this one crazy movie. I'd tell you why but it would otherwise spoil some of the funniest surprises you see on screen. I can tell you the basic plot though! Charlie (David Schwimmer), after losing his job on the first day, is persuaded by his friend Gus (Simon Pegg) to join him on a little blackmailing scheme. Josie (Alice Eve), Gus's on-again-off-again lover, also joins them after over-hearing their plan. Of course, things go a little pear-shaped when the person they were planning on blackmailing turns up dead.

And from that rather cliched premise, the shit hits the fan and keeps spinning. Seriously, I can't even tell you half the things I liked about this because it would give away too much. And the best way to see this sort of crazy zaniness is by not knowing anything about it other than what I just told you. I can tell you that there are some twists that you will see a mile away and some that will pop up from the ground your standing on without any warning. The acting is excellent, but then the cast is superb, with Schwimmer providing the straight man whose reactions are perfect and exactly how a normal person would react. Simon Pegg is always good, I've never seen a bad film with him in. Though, it is a little odd to hear him speak with an American. Same for Alice Eve, and she and Pegg have some of the funniest moments.

So, the main problem I have with this film is a weird one. It's produced by Isle of Man Films, it's shot in the Isle of Man and parts of Wales, three of its lead actors are British (Natasha McElhone is the third) and the director and co-writer is French (Jean-Baptiste Andrea). Why the hell is this set in America? The only plausible explanation I can come up with is that David Schwimmer can't do an English and they couldn't come up with a reason as to why an American would live in the UK. Either that or the other writer was American... Oh, wait. He was. Really, this baffles me. It works when it's set in America, but the humour is kinda more British than American. And while it was a success in the UK, I doubt that American audiences would appreciate the massive tone shifts that occur.

But if you can stand to hear Simon Pegg with an American accent, then I definitely recommend this one. It's annoyingly underrated, but totally worth it if you ever find it. I'm putting it up there with Bitten as one of the best DVD's I've discovered this year. It is violent, and quite a bit sweary, but no more so than Shaun of the Dead or other Simon Pegg films. Besides there's something hilarious about hearing David Schwimmer swear his tits off!

Anyway, let's move on to something completely different. Catch and Release stars Jennifer Garner as Gray, a woman whose fiance died during his bachelor party. Moving out of the house she and her fiance Grady (oh god, these names) were sharing and moving into his old house with his old roommates Dennis (Sam Jaeger) and Sam (Kevin Smith). And they are soon joined by Grady's womanising best friend, Fritz (Timothy Olyphant). Complications occur when Gray discovers that Grady sent $3000 every month to an unknown party, and after pestering Fritz for answers, she finds out that Grady had a son by another woman (Juliette Lewis).

So, yeah, that's pretty much the entire plot. This is a very gentle and predictable film, that is more about the characters reacting to the grief of losing a friend, than the romantic fluff that comes between Gray and Fritz. In fact, the romance is more like one in a series of subplots. Every character has a subplot that explores the way they deal with the loss of Grady. And they all interweave better than New Years Eve or Valentine's Day ever could. The fact that this is a realistic series of events that just somehow manages to become a movie plot. And it's funny!

So, I haven't really mentioned this before, but I am a massive Kevin Smith fan. I saw the fourth Die Hard film simply because he was in it, I have all of his View Askewniverse films on DVD, and pretty much the only reason I wanted to see this film was because of him. He is definitely the best part. Not that the other actors aren't good. But Smith brings a cynical snarkiness and really turns it from a rom-com with a strange premise into more of an ensemble piece about mourning and grief. Garner and Olyphant are also good, and what I really like about this film is the way the romance is allowed to grow.

But hey, this isn't perfect. One of the things I have against it is the obvious and annoying third act misundestanding between the two leads. Another is that it starts off fairly dark (the funeral takes place on the day that was meant to be Gray and Grady's wedding) but by the end, it's just another romantic comedy. And it rambles around the middle, without any clear direction. But I still like it. Compared with other rom-coms, this is a pleasant surprise. Though not everyone will like it, it;s a shit load better than a lot of the other Hollywood trash we see nowadays. 

So, there's my two cents on these films. I'd recommend Big Nothing  more than Catch and Release, because less people seem to know about it, and it is fucking hilarious! But if I've sparked some interest, then I've done my job. Until next time, readers.