Weirdsville

A lot of Canadian film is good, but this is sadly not up to par. There are a few good laughs here and there but it seems like this film was trying to imitate other, better films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Pulp Fiction. It doesn't work. The acting isn't as good. The story is weaker and the whole thing feels rather rather contrived. Instead of introducing new ideas into this drug caper/comedy genre, the same old ideas are tromped out and they aren't very fulfilling for the viewer. There are coincidences here and there and I don't really mind coincidences if they work. Here they didn't and I found that brought the movie down.

The most positive thing I can personally say regarding Weirdsville is that I did at least keep watching until the end. That said, I just as soon wished I had used the time for something more rewarding. I felt the movie though stylish and reasonably well produced just fell flat in both story and humor.

Classic stoner flicks suck us in in spite of the fact most of us do not actually identify with stoners. I mean a good movie of the stoner genre is wickedly funny and built around likable stoner buddies, i.e., Cheech & Chong, Harrold & Kumar, Bill & Ted...et.al. In Weirdsville I never felt a like for Dex & Royce particularly. They were in a predicament that had them racing against time to come up with money (reminded me of The Blues Brothers). They were being chased by several different "nut jobs" (like the Blues Brothers). The ensuing situations just were not especially funny (NOT like the Blues Brothers which was uber-hilarious).

Granted I'm not the primary audience this flick is aimed at, I mean I'm 48. However, I know a good stoner flick when I see it and this misses the mark. Simply put, not awful by any means...Just not good enough to recommend.

As for a stoner black comedy, the Canadian made "Weirdsville" is as customary as you can get in how it goes about trying to weird you out. Of course what happens is random, wacky and just bizarre (encounters with Satanists and dwarfs), but not too surprising when compared to films of the same ilk. Even so, I found it hard not to enjoy. Mainly for the combination between Scott Speedman and Wes Bentley, who work off each well enough of as the two junkies involved in a crazy night of unimaginable incidents. Speedman plays it mainly straight, where Bentley is rowdy. But the two have some amusing banter and interchanges thanks to a ridiculous, but restlessly smart script. Taryn Manning as the third wheel adds the bite.

Stoner Dexter and Royce accidentally assume their friend Matilda has died from an overdose on the stash they are meant to sell to payback their drug dealers. In the panic of the situation they decide to bury the body. While in the process of burying her in the basement of a drive-in movie theatre, they disrupt a satanic ritual sacrifice and Matilda awakens making the Satanists believe it's the work of Satan. Now the boys are trying to get to her before the Satanists do, while also trying to pull off a heist to pay back their intimidating dealer.

As expected, everything goes wrong for these two slackers. Just like the scene where Speedman's character heads to a grungy toilet to vomit to see a mouse swimming helplessly around bowl and Bentley's character enter to only flush it. The two are stuck in a predicament, which has no easy way out but to simply go all-out and what occurs is haphazard. Director Allan Moyle's style is reminiscent of his previous efforts in "Pump up the Volume" and "Empire Records", but on a cheaper feel. At times it feels like a home video. Still Moyle shows great pacing and flashy touches, as the visuals show some creativity, especially the drug- fuelled hallucinations and this suit's the fragmented style of the unusual narrative with numerous droll characters (Matt Frewer is very amusing in his small part). Still it could have been much weirder than what it was.

"Hey man. You have an icicle sticking out of your head."

It's great to see a film that moves along so freely and easily but also has a clever writer behind it.

Someone mentioned that the film was being touted as Trainspotting shot in Canada with laughs. Trainspotting didn't cross my mind once during this film. I liked Trainspotting when it came out, but if there was one criticism you could make it was that the film took itself a little too seriously. Thankfully this film doesn't and is all the better for it. Everything about it feels fresh and you really get the feeling that everyone involved enjoyed making it. The acting has a nice improvised quality and script is a perfect mix of playful whimsy and taut storyline.

If you got out the wrong side of the bed, don't go and see this. If you're looking for an enjoyable and refreshing 90 minutes that restores your faith in low budget films, buy a ticket.

WARNING: This movie is unapologetically Canadian... which, in this case, is a good thing. Especially when this film could have been set in any city, town or village in the world.

I expected a low-budget, independent attempt at art. And what starts as out tragic and dark, grows into a fun, "what can happen now" sort of adventure that is surprisingly amusing. Yes, it's goofy at times. Yes, it borders on ridiculous, too. But dammit, it's fun. It carefully dances on the fine line of gross tragedy and outright slapstick, but doesn't quite cross the line either way.

The production value is fairly high, even if the budget wasn't. (The gritty darkness really suits the adventures of two junkies, anyway.) Scott Speedman and Wes Bentley build a real chemistry that grows on you and it's really good to see Bentley in a role that is FINALLY likable. Taryn Manning also does a good job, although I fear she's going to get pigeon-holed into similar roles. She deserves better. The rest of the cast does a solid job with no obvious weak link.

Finally, people are going to draw a lot of similarities to other movies. I would like to think of this as a strange cross between "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas" and "Dude, Where's My Car?", with it leaning favourably toward the Dude side. It has a couple of introspective, deep moments, but balances it out with lighter, playful moments the rest of the time.

Really, if you ever "got the joke" of "Dude, Where's My Car?" or even found some sick humour out of the head trip of "Fear And Loathing..." check out "Weirdsville". You may be pleasantly surprised. 8 out of 10.