Nowhere Man

Nowhere Man is an oil-black comedy, a film noir taken to the 10th power. It's a throwback to the Lorena Bobbitt story and disturbingly funny. Chalk another one up to the frequent collaboration between director Tim McCann and star Michael Rodrick!

I have been recently watching a lot of Tim McCann movies in anticipation of his new movie with Robin Tunney and Aaron Stanford.

This second-newest release, NOWHERE MAN, is a great slice of low-budget DV independent/ B-movie film-making. And when I say B-movie, I mean it in the best sense of the term. I read a FILM THREAT interview with McCann where he talks about preferring Anthony Mann movies to anything made today, and NOWHERE MAN has that same sort of hard-hitting pulpiness that a film academic could respect... if they weren't TOO uptight. After all, this is a movie whose main character has had his willy removed.

The acting all around, from leads Rodrick and Rochon and Olivier to one-scene appearances by Michael Risley (who starred in McCann's excellent REVOLUTION #9) and Bob Gosse and Lloyd Kaufman, is really solid and plays more to the realistic side of the situation, but with a few moments of comedy -- both broad and subtly dark -- in there for good measure.

The theme of NOWHERE MAN is quite similar to McCann's first feature DESOLATION ANGELS, which also featured Rodrick as a man who learns a secret about his girlfriend that drives him to unnecessary macho violence, but this is a much leaner, more effective film. Unfortunately, I fear too many people won't be able to get over this flick's cockiness, so to speak, and see it for the well-told drama that it is.

Of course, the filmmakers aren't helping matters with the selection of crude outtakes put into the end credits, which sort of undercut the tone of the film -- but which presumably are there to pad this lean, mean film out to feature length.

You don't usually expect a lot from a "B" movie, but this does have the Queen of Horror, Debbie Rochon, and Lloyd Kaufman, one of the founders of Troma.

Conrad (Michael Rodrick) finds out that the love of his life, Jennifer (Rochon) has a sordid past. When he breaks it off, she breaks it off - literally! So, he has to find her and it. What a story.

You are not going to find great acting or fantastic sets or much of anything here except a few laughs and a fantastic look at Debbie. Maybe you want more, but maybe this is all you need to get you through the night.

Description: Conrad, our hero, must retrieve his beloved 'member' within 24 hours so that it can be surgically re-attached, and… Well, you get the idea. You probably know now whether you're interested in seeing this little flic or not. If you are, you're in for a surprising treat, because writer/director McAnn serves up this no budget gem with a dose of spicy black humor; but the real kudos go to actor Michael Rodrik (who is this guy?) who steams his way through one of the darkest psychic tunnels an actor ever had to go through, and does so with alarming gusto. Some viewers will get their panties twisted over the lewd (and I do mean lewd) subject matter; but hey, that's how I feel about romantic comedies, so different strokes, right? Hopefully this flic will not be buried amid the tons of crappy video sensationalism. Whoever released it deserves some credit for having the courage to do so. Two thumbs up!

DARK, BAWDY AND FEROCIOUS This no budget hand grenade rips apart the mold of gutless, brainless and disingenuously politically correct products that have become DE rigger in film-making today: our main character discovers that his fiancée has appeared in several interracial porno films; our main character calls off the engagement and abuses said fiancée; our main character has his penis cut off and held for ransom. Sound like an exploitation film? Yes, but this one has brains and wit. Probably one of the darkest films you'll ever see, but the pathos is leavened with a twisted humor (catch 'Daddy Mac' rapping, or 'Dr. Johnson' counseling). This being said, 'Nowhere Man' is sure to offend some of you, especially those who specialize in getting moralistic and self righteously worked up over whatever. And many will be turned off by the low production values, and somewhat thin storyline. But these are petty qualms in what is a gutsy little piece of counter-culture.