Mr. Dungbeetle

I cannot comprehend how this film has a 5.6 rating. It's one of the most inspirational indie films I've ever seen. It's so well done, and everybody involved in it (especially the actors and director) does a phenomenal job.

Mr. Dungbeetle is such an innocent film, a group of mental institution escapees go out on an unsupervised (for a little while) adventure into nature, where they admire the beauty surrounding them, as well as the beauty dwelling within themselves. This is a movie about seemingly flawed individuals who find self worth and meaning. They are adults, but yet so charmingly childish, it makes the audience feel like a youth themselves.

It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think about it ever since then, it leaves an impact on you. You get lost in the story and the characters. I agree with another user, who in their review related it to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Quite an accurate comparison, Mr. Dungbeetle is like its younger, inexperienced yet unsoiled sibling.

DO NOT just brush past this one, it most certainly deserves the entire public's attention. More and more folks these days are realizing that indie films now are just as good if not better than Hollywood box office films, in both quality and themes: this is the age of independent cinema. And Mr. Dungbeetle is an excellent ambassador for it.

If Don Quixote lived in the 21st century, he surely would have been committed to a mental institution--probably one similar to the opening scenes in this unvarnished and openly human film. Let's hope that the Man of La Mancha would have escaped and had the splendid adventures told in Mr. Dungbeetle. How sanity is measured or identified remains a multi-generational cultural enigma, one that is adeptly explored in this film but never explained.

The powerful absurdities revealed in the terse and memorable dialog anchor a remarkable story of self-discovery that never becomes reckless or cloying. You never feel you are being force-fed an agenda; rather you find yourself on the quixotic adventures as a co-traveler. Expect both laughter and tears as the story takes its expertly crafted verbal turns.

One of the most charming and quotable indie films I've ever seen.

This is truly an excellent movie. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. It raises some interesting questions, while making you laugh ... a lot. I saw it at a screening a few years ago with my wife and wish I could share it with others. It is very similar to "Mental" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791128/), but even better. This is so much better than a vast majority of what Hollywood normally puts out. Someone needs to pick this movie up and make it widely available so more people can share this wonderful, funny, thought-provoking film. I am not an 'insider' to the world of 'indies' and don't know the details of what it takes to get a movie like this into theaters and onto DVD, but everyone I know who has seen it has absolutely loved. I would readily pay full price admission to see this movie again (and that says a lot coming from me - I don't even like paying matinée prices).

I saw this film at the Mendocino Film Festival. Everyone who saw the movie in Mendocino raved, not just talked-up, RAVED about it. After the encore showing, it received a 3 minute standing ovation as people wiped away tears! It is magic. It is thought provoking. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you FEEL! Anyone who has had a loved-one pass away will be positively affected after viewing this film. If it were a book, it would be number 1 on Oprah's list! The story is about mental patients who escape the institution and find the cure for their ailments has been inside them all along. It is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with more laughs and a stronger message of empowerment. Once the general public is given a chance to see Mr. Dung Beetle ( if it ever gets distributed ) it will take Hollywood by storm. I am a 53 year-old movie buff and this is one of the top 3 films I have ever seen.

I saw the movie at a private screening in Pueblo that one of the actors (Clay) put on. I think he was a producer too. The best part about the film was the storyline. It made me laugh and was pretty well written, although it did drag in places. A good family film, no cursing, swearing, etc. very little violence. Probably get a PG rating (IF it ever comes out).

The camera work was pretty good, although the color, sound and lighting was distracting. To the producer's credit, Clay said this wasn't a "finished" piece yet... So why was he showing something that wasn't ready?? Doesn't make sense to me. Bad move.

The acting was fairly good for the most part. Some weak areas with some of the minor speaking roles, and the casting (outside of the main characters and a couple others) was WEAK! The casting director must've used their friends and family! Ha! But the biggest problem with this film was that there was no big name actors attached to the project. Nothing to draw in an audience. The biggest person they had in this movie was the doctor who had a VERY small role in Arachnophobia and a couple other movies. Big deal. You can get away with that in a horror film, but not something like this.

Other than that, it was worth watching. Honestly, I'd rent it. Wouldn't pay to see it in the movie theater without any big names, but I'd rent it. On a side note, I know that it was a local production company that shot it, just a little sad that they didn't shoot it in their home town (here in Pueblo), there wasn't anything in the movie that couldn't have been filmed here. Bad choice.

Over all... 7 stars... 8 if the popcorn is REALLY good!