BY MIKEY MIGO
Bobcat Goldthwait has set a standard for himself. He went from being a pop culture icon with the “Police Academy” movies and his crazy stand-up antics. He set the set of the “Tonight Show” on FIRE! He kept busy, but his notoriety and fame waned. He started directing, doing voice overs, and doing his own thing. He would start writing and directing his own movies. These movies would be acclaimed, but are also typically darker and more morose than a typical comedy. It’s not vulgar for vulgar sake, but he has no problem pushing the envelope as far as he sees fit. It’s always with a deeper meaning and is way more cerebral than a darker than black comedy should be. That’s what I dig about the guy. He finds a balance in being over the top and being in your face with whatever point he wants to get across. This is why I HAD to watch “God Bless America”, Goldthwait’s newest film. The massively underrated Joel Murray plays the lead here. He’s a normal guy whose life keeps shitting on him. He hates his surroundings and the way our culture has devolved. After he finds out he’s going to die from a brain tumor he decides to kill himself. Before he can he’s annoyed by a spoiled teenager on a loose parody of MTV’s “Sweet Sixteen” being a whiney bitch. So instead he goes to her and murders her. This escalates into a killing spree to rid the world of rude and annoying people. It all ends with a glorious ending on set of a TV show that might as well be called “Legally Not American Idol, But You Get It”. Murray’s character ends up bonding with a disenfranchised youth who joins in on the spree. It’s a very “dark” movie. It reminds me of Annie Hall meets Death Race 2000. How is THAT for a comparison? In its depths, I really appreciate the social commentary that’s being thrown at us. On the surface, I dug the ironic and over the top murders. You watch it and you find yourself actually cheering on Murray and the girl (Tara Lynne Barr) as they go after the same folks that are a constant reminder that no matter how much technology and humanity evolves there is always going to be really stupid people. I like to pretend this movie is a prequel to “Idiocracy” and Murray is “sent back in time” to try to make sure the world of “Idiocracy” doesn’t happen. I could analyze the hell out of this movie. It makes you think. God forbid a movie does THAT. I’ve already started going around telling as many people as I can about this movie. I think more people need to see it. Sadly, the annoying and rude assholes that this movie is aimed at probably won’t see it because Tim Burton didn’t direct it and it’s not based on books for children. If you’re tired of douche-bags and like good dark comedy with a valid perspective then you’ll want to see this movie ten times. Start with the first time and go from there…. A-
|
