[GOD
BLESS AMERICA screens Friday
July 6th at 5:30 pm and Saturday July 7th at 8:50 pm at the Cleveland
Cinematheque.]
Review
by Bob Ignizio
Mike
Judge's 2006 film IDIOCRACY
predicted that humanity would devolve to the point that comedy would
be reduced to jokes about getting hit in the balls, the notion that
sex sells would have come to its logical conclusion of fast food
prostitution, the President of the United States would be an ex porn
star, and the already stupid masses would be kept from even the most
basic thoughts by arena fights to the death pitting man against
monster truck. According to Judge's concept, all this was a good 500
years away. In GOD BLESS AMERICA,
Bob Goldthwait seems to be saying Judge was an optimist. American
culture has already fallen so far with morning shock jocks, spoiled
teen reality shows, arrogant right-wing talk show hosts, and “talent”
programs that simultaneously mock and celebrate their worst would-be
contestants that it sometimes seems we could find ourselves living in
Judge's dystopia within the decade.
The
protagonist of GOD BLESS AMERICA
is Frank (Joel Murray), a middle aged working class stiff who suffers
from severe migraines who still believes in basic notions of decency
and politeness even if no one else around him does. One particularly
bad day Frank gets fired from his job after being falsely accused of
sexual harrassment, then learns from his doctor that the severe
migraines he's been experiencing are due to a brain tumor that will
most likely be fatal. Frank goes home and contemplates suicide, but
instead decides to go on a killing spree to eliminate people he
believes deserve it, thus doing something useful with his remaining
time on earth. Comedy ensues.
After
Frank's first kill, teenage Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) inserts herself
into his life as his accomplice. While Frank tries to pick his
victims carefully, if Roxy had her way every person who was even
mildly annoying would be put on the hit list. As time goes on, the
two bond (although not romantically), and ironic as it may seem,
Frank's influence serves to temper Roxy somewhat. The relationship
between these two is similar to that between Rain Wilson's hapless
would-be superhero and Ellen Page as his sidekick in SUPER,
but handled in a more believable, complex manner.
For
some, GOD BLESS AMERICA
will be clever, cathartic satire. Others, even if they happen to be
sympathetic to Frank's frustrations, will feel that the violent humor
goes too far, and is perhaps even hypocritical in a film that rails
against the coarseness of modern culture. There will also be plenty
who just don't get it, because as far as they're concerned American
Idol is
the height of quality entertainment, and when Frank and his teenage
sidekick take out a row of moviegoers for texting and talking during
the feature, they'll probably be thinking, “what's are they so mad
for? I do that all the time.”
The main problem with the film is that, despite some good scenes and
excellent performances by Murray and Barr, it's less an actual movie
and more writer/director Goldthwait screaming to the world about all
the things he hates. Frank delivers a lot of rants and monologues
that, while entertaining, feel too much like manifestoes rather than
dialogue. In addition, the film just feels kind of clunky, never
really finding its groove. Still, a comedy this vicious that still
manages to be funny most of the time is rare enough that one is
inclined to overlook its shortcomings, at least if they happen to
hate the same things Goldthwait hates. 2 1/2 out of 4 stars.
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