Cottage Country

Malin Akerman (Watchmen) and Tyler Labine (Reaper) are Cammie and Todd, one of those awful couples that have cutesy nicknames for each other. They plan on spending a momentous romantic vacation at Todd's parents cabin by the lake, but when his slacker brother shows up with his girlfriend this go quickly from bad to worse,

A proper black comedy needs to mix the comedy with the macabre. Look at Heathers for black comedy done right. Hell look at Very Bad Things, a film that this one has a passing resemblance to. Both the aforementioned films work because of this mixture. Cottage Country does not. The dark moments aren't funny, the funny scenes not particularly dark. The film is passable entertainment but only marginally so. It's not terrible, just not funny and overlong.

If you miss the tagline of this movie, expect to be surprised!

Seeing the first 20 minutes of the movie you might think that you are watching something between a romantic comedy and a National Lampoon's kind of film. Todd (Tyler Labine) and Cammie (Malin Akerman) are an unmarried couple, trying to get a short break of their hardworking daily routine by going to Todd's family cottage for the weekend. Todd is also planning to propose to Cammie in the most romantic place he can think of, by the lake!

The troubles began when Todd's loafer brother (Dan Petronijevic) and his weird girlfriend (Lucy Punch) arrive at the cottage without a notice! The two brothers can't get along, they fight and what happens next is the beginning of a nightmare. The viewer might think for a moment that is seeing a dream sequence or Todd's wishful thinking! Unfortunately everything is true and Todd and Cammie are following a path far more difficult that they can handle, especially Todd.

The movie has a few awkward moments and you aren't sure what to expect next. Malin Akerman gives a good performance as the determined woman-with-a-plan Cammie.

Overall: Recommended.

No matter what else you hear or see in this film, you MUST admire one of the most realistic brother-fight scenes EVER!!! As with most of the fun, the plot really gets started at about 18mins when Todd Chipowski (Tyler Labine) defiles his Bohemian brother's head phones (Salinger played by Dan Petronijevic).

Those were three hundred dollar headphones, Todd!

Pinwheel slaps, girly-squeals, owies and, finally, an axe delivered Cain-style will always resolve any brotherly disturbance!

Of course, Todd's super-eager and hyper-well-meaning fiancé, Cammie (Malin Akerman) will simply not allow a harmless filicide to interfere with her life plans, while Salinger's significant other, Masha (Lucy Punch), has truly alien plans for everyone (perhaps given her family history of drug-fueled orgies).

So, pack your kit and call shotgun, you're on your way to a relaxing weekend at the family lake house! Hey, stop touching me!

From the producers of "Hobo With a Shotgun" comes Cottage Country. The film's lead being Tyline Labine, who you will probably recognize from the film "Tucker and Dale vs Evil", a film where he both figuratively & literally killed it in the role as Dale. Labine returns to a film filled with accident evil, not quite as good as Tucker and Dale, but a fun romp

Here Labine plays the somewhat more refined role of Todd Chipowski, a man who has planned out the perfect week long getaway at his parent's lake house with his longtime girlfriend Cammie(Malin Akerman). Todd has planned a bit more than just the vacation, he and Cammie have plans to paddle out to the lake's remote island and find the perfect spot for Todd to pop the question. Before they even get settled in, Todd's rowdy, obnoxious brother Salinger(Dan Petronijevic) shows up with his sleazy girlfriend Masha in tow(Lucy Punch). When Todd tells Sal to hit the road they end up in a scuffle which ends up with the better part of an ax head buried into his Sal's neck. When Cammie hears the news, she decides that nothing is going stop their engagement and they continue with their plans on the island. Little do they know that Sal has invited all his friends over for a big bash that very night and they return to find a house full of strangers and a whole lot of explaining,lying and diverting to do as to the whereabouts of Sal and why his car is in the driveway.

It has been done before effectively in numerous dark comedies, but this film has a fresh feel and once it fully gets going, will have you laughing a good deal as well as squirming in your seat. One great surprise for me was the effective zig-zag in the film's final minutes, it does something unpredictable and leaves you with a certain upbeat sense of karma. I think it's a fine choice for some good laughs and some great spurts of uncomfortable tension which I recommend if that's what you're in the mood for.

Cammie and Todd are a couple who is trying to find peace and quiet and they go at a cabin in the middle of the woods to have a few days of relaxation. All good until Todd's brother along with his girlfriend Masha arrives at the chalet. They don't realize that are bothering them and after the girls are gone for a little hike Cammie tells Todd to convince his brother to leave them alone. They fight and Todd accidentally kills Salinger and covers his murder. After Masha and Cammie return he tells her what he has just done and Cammie encourages him to get rid of Masha also. They are dumping the part of their bodies after they cut them in the lake and are surprised when they arrive back that a party in the middle of progress is at their house and comprehend that Salinger invite them to come but he wasn't sure if he really made the announcement.

Now the two must behave normal and not to give suspicious to the guest and make them believe that they don't know where the missing couple is. Although this should be easy the situation complicates when Todd has some hallucinations with his dead brother and attracts attention with his unusual behavior. One guest specifically becomes involved and want to find out the truth but end up having the same faith as his friends. When police arrives the couple must play innocent and soon Todd's parent are coming to the cottage but for how long will they manage to hide the reality for those around them?

I catalog this movie to be a black comedy although there are only a few scenes where you laugh for some seconds and in rest it's a little bit silly but still is a good way to spend you Sunday evening.