Trainwreck: My Life as an Idiot

Whoever wrote this movie is the definition of "American Loser." Nothing whatsoever in this movie made sense. Not funny, dramatic, or entertaining. Watching paint dry would be more entertaining than having to sit through this nonsense.

I saw this film at SIFF last night with my g/f and her mother.

I didn't research the film at all, just looked at the description and gave it a go. So when the opening credits said it was a true story, i thought it was a joke. It wasn't.

The movie itself moves along very well and the main character pushes the plot along with his "sharing" sessions in various 12-step meetings. He is ADD, alcoholic (recovering), has tourettes, and badly needs to be "liked". He can't keep a job and depends on his "Mommy" for emotional and financial support. Wholly self-absorbed, he is yet charming and innocent.

There is a love interest in the plot, but it really doesn't come off as one of those forced Hollywood sub-plots added for mass appeal. The male and female leads are impressive, as is the whole cast (many recognizable actors). Not predictable, and as I learned after the film... even the most ridiculous events were indeed factual.

I'd hate to compare this movie to anything, but I can't help but thinking of American Splendor (or Crumb). It's not quite as docu-drama as either of those two films, but the character (in real life and on screen) has very similar eccentricities.

Don't know if it will be released nationwide, but will definitely be in the DVD (ugh) cult film section of your video store one day.

The story wasn't really straightforward (ie: it was a narrative of the character's screwed up life that didn't have a message or a lesson... at least not superficially), but the ride that you get to go on while watching it is really fun... especially because the actor is Seann William Scott, who (whom?) nobody expects anything good out of (b/c of all his mindless comedic roles), yet he totally owns the role... I was super happy to see the clips of the actual character (many apologies for not remembering his name, especially since he so fondly reminds me of the glorious negativity of Bill Hicks) during the credits.... That showed me the difference between the real person and SWS's portrayal, yet it it proved to me how well (do not read "accurately", only read "well", considering SWS is portraying the character dramatically, which almost always, as in this story, embellishes/exaggerates reality) SWS portrayed the character.

I did not believe that this movie is based on a true story till credits started to roll. Sean Scott, "stifler" from the American pie movies has been doing same old college humor based films for which he is been stereotyped into. But this is so him yet not so him. He has taken little of all the characters he plays in his film and made this wonderful character which although you find it funny at times, you start feeling sad, cause he just cant seem to get it right. He channels all his screw ups by sharing them with others making them laugh at them. A good change, yet not totally different, from Sean Scott. Keep up the good work "Stifler"!

I have to be honest, I really wasn't expecting much out of this film, I mean, Stiffler in a serious role? but wow was I pleasantly surprised, pleased as punch I would almost say. A truly heartfelt film, you get the sense the writer/director genuinely felt for his subject, which from what I have read about this film is really based on a true story which makes it even more funny in my opinion. The stuff in this movie is so funny it could not have been made up! Really well done with the writing and directing and I think it was the writer/directors debut film? which to me is even more impressive. Some of the scenes had me rolling on the floor with laughter, all in all well worth seeing, great, original and heartfelt, I really look forward to seeing more from this writer/director and I heard a rumor he plays the banjo!