“A brilliant and low-key dark comedy. ”
-Richard Roeper
(2012; PG-13)
In theaters: Friday, 4 May 2012
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey
Justin Z. said on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 2:56:11 AM What a fantastic movie. I can see why this has not been released on a large scale (though it still should have been), but it is still such a unique and clever little movie. It juggles so many tones and story elements together and manages to seamlessly blend them into its own creation. The jokes are funny in that matter of fact conversation way, the drama is present though never heavy and it manages to have just enough moral grayness as to leave enough of a debate as to how the last act plays out. Not enough can be said about Black's performance. While it is not a huge stretch for Black, it is just so unlike anything he has done before. It shows how he can understand nuances, character development and most importantly restraint. MacLaine uses her limited screentime to great affect to make her presence felt even when not in the scene of being a controlling widow. And McConaughey makes even better use of his screentime to create a character so entertainingly self-righteous and self-serving you are sure he relishes in the smell of his own farts. Studios should have embraced this film more because I think there is a little something for everyone here. Is it quirky, kind of dark and weird? Yes, but no more so than a lot of studio films we see regularly. Go see this movie!