The Death of Dick Long

This movie was inspired by an actual event that took place, not in Alabama, but in Enumclaw, Washington. (Should you want to see this documentary, it's called "Zoo.") Billy Chew apparently thought Alabama, which itself has been the location of lots of strange activity, would be a funnier place for the film.

My family is from Alabama, as is Daniel Scheinert, the director of the film. Some of them would think the movie is hilarious, and recognize themselves in the relationships between the slacker men and smart wives, the families that are all about church but get high on the weekend, the laconic, knowing cops, the impossibility of keeping a secret in a small town, and a culture built around family and kids. They all ring true to me.

The movie is very dark comedy about the misadventures of three buddies who get too drunk at band practice and do some stupid things. One of them ends up dead. Just how drunk they get and how stupid they get is teased out during the movie.

During the process, the story explores the loving connections the buddies have to their families, and the weight that the solution to the death has on the sheriff.

It's a good movie, but not for everyone,

This film tells the story of two friends, who has to face the consequences of their wild night out.

The scene is set pretty quickly, and the complicated situation faced by the two main characters are very well portrayed. The story is dark, but the tone of the film is light. The film is funny, but not disrespectful of Dick Long. It is quite a surprising for me to like a dark comedy, and I liked it.

One thing to remember about people who descend into a life of crime is they can be incredibly stupid and make poor decisions. On top of that, add drugs and alcohol and you set the stage for this film. None of the actions taken by the characters are really all that unbelievable, especially when you consider the backwoods area where it all takes place - there is a certain culture you'll find among working class, low income people in the rural south, and this film captures it well. That said, it does branch into comedy given the pure buffoonery of these people. Some of the dialogue is also layered well to provide comic relief. I think comparisons to Fargo are fair; I don't think the merits of this film quite raise to that level - but it does go into similar territory. It's a fairly light film overall that doesn't carry much much of a message or delve too deep, but it remains entertaining on a superficial level.

I didn't know what the expect but man... they did get weird. I was expecting Fargo vibes but this took a whole different turn. The dark comedy is done well I must say.

The Death of Dick Long was tense and eerie from start to finish. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it that much darker/ironic. You really think you are signing up for one type of movie, and end up with a completely different tale. I will have a hard time forgetting about this one. I'm surprised more people haven't seen this. I would recommend it, but not something I'd go back and watch twice probably. I will need to watch the documentary about the story next. This is an absurd movie. I am at a loss for words. I can't even believe it's based on a true story. What mayhem. I need to go for a walk.