Crazy as Hell

There were parts of this film which I did not like at all, because of the initial portrayal of the hospital and the patients. I worked Psych for 9 years and there were some scenes that were true to life, but overall, they were played for shock/humour. Having said this, I was distracted from these shortcomings by the excellent acting of the entire cast and when Mr.La Salle and Mr. Beach encounter each other, the sparks fly. I had no idea where the film was going but I was glad for the ride; these two guys display their talents and there is no doubt that you are seeing two masters at work. Some of the characters seemed superfluous to me, but the author did also write the screen play so I'll assume that he knew what he was doing (Big of me, don't you think?) I didn't care for the ending,and frankly, I thought it was an unoriginal cop-out, but the lead up to it - the chase, the revelation, made it bearable. Also, is there anything Ronnie Cox can't do?

The first thing that struck me about this film was how trite and over-simplified much of the subject matter was. At first it bothered me; the characters were pretty two-dimensional and the patients in the mental ward seemed very unrealistic. The whole movie took on a superficial and untrue feel that left me uninvolved and failed to suspend my disbelief. However, as the film goes on, you realize this may be on purpose. The film takes on a Lynch-ian feel that culminates in an ending that clearly explains why everything was so simple, shallow, and "perfect". I appreciate Eriq for not shoving the ending down our throat. He is obviously talented and deserves recognition for following through with a film that failed to get support from Hollywood because it isn't a cookie-cutter re-make of the films that Black film-makers continue to crank out. On the other hand, the story wasn't particularly unique either. It very much reminded me of a low-budget "Jacob's Ladder" with a simpler story-line and much more limited production resources. Eriq LaSalle is a great human being with enormous talent and, more importantly, a great perspective on what is important in life. He isn't quite willing to play into the Hollywood system, and although you couldn't tell from this film, he seems to understand the powerful role his artform can play in lifting up (or keeping down) his people. I respect him immensely and I expect great things from him in the future.

This movie is so twisted, what I l ♥ v e about it is that it's not your typical Hollywood American movie, the concept is different too. This movie is twisted and it makes you want to watch all over again to get all the clues. Eric la salle is very creative with his perspective also how every little detail from the first line is a clue. The plot is so, CRAZY! Eric la salle deserves P R O P S for this movie especially with such a budget and the amount of time he was given to put together this thriller think about the circumstances. now I'm not going to spoil the ending for you but the summary says it all crazy as hell crazy thrill! I ---L ♥ V E D--- this movie!

After reading the blurb and checking out the poster on Amazon Prime I quickly stuck this on my watchlist. It looked like it could be an interesting horror flick... except it's not exactly a horror flick. What you get is an enjoyably creepy psychological ghost story, Even though it wasn't what I was expecting, it is well worth a watch, especially on a cold, wet, and windy winter afternoon: After all, there are a lot of good things about this film - the story, the direction, and the acting.

This is the story of a troubled psychiatrist who is suffering from the loss of his wife and child. He doesn't fully believe in medicating the mentally ill. He considers they could help most of them in a less intrusive way, through talk and actions. A stance that is more widely accepted today. What writer, Jeremy Levin, gives the audience is a well-structured argument for both methods. He doesn't condone one or the other. Add to this the mysterious patient named "Satan" and his belief to be the one and only Old Nick, Lucifer, Scratch... the devil himself, then you have interest, intrigue, and a splash of creepiness.

Eriq La Salle shows off his directing skills and they are strong. This is a well lit and nicely composed story. The lighting effects work to create the mood of the piece. I especially liked the dreamlike impression he delivers when Dr Adams meets Cheryl for the first time. This gives you the feeling of peace, which suddenly disappears when he enters the room and her illness takes control. The sex scene is another perfectly crafted sequence. Structured just right with the subdued light, close-up shots, and sound effects and music - the rhythmic drumbeat is perfection. All of this kept me interested and drew me further into the story.

That said, there are a few scenes that come across as average; they could remove these to make a stronger film. However, these are few and shouldn't hurt your enjoyment of the film and story.

However, it was La Salle's acting that made this movie so watchable. The way he keeps his character, Satan, light and breezy, even in his evil periods, is brilliant. He verbally skips his way through the film and this with the juxtaposition of Dr Adams makes their thrusts and parries more mesmerising. There are times you wonder who is being evaluated.

Though this is truly La Salle's film, the rest of the cast is also well above par... except for Sinbad. I liked Mr Johnson, the orderly who is forever trying to have "a word" with Dr Adams. Though the character comes off a little too bland, and that is something Sinbad is not. He portrays his character well, it's just that I was expecting somebody a smidgen more enlivened.

This is for all of you who like the paranormal and the mysterious. If you have Amazon Prime, then take a look, it is free. Those without, if you see a copy going cheap anywhere, then grab it, watch it and pass it on. This is a "one watch film". Though I enjoyed it and highly recommend it, I won't be rushing to watch it again.

Skip on over and check on my Chiller Thriller Killer and Dramatisation Of Life lists to see where this little flick charted.

***SPOILERS*** Early in "Crazy as Hell" the head nurse of the Sedah State Mental Hospital where the movie takes place Nurse Danza, Jane Carr, is asked by the head doctor there Dr. Ty Adams, Michael Beach, what she would ask "The Devil" if she ever had the chance to talk to him. Nurse Danza said the following statement that was absolutely stunning: "I'd ask him why he spends his time punishing those that he's supposed to adore to make a point to a God that he's supposed to despise?". The same statement, word for word, is later said by non other the "The Man" or "The Devil" himself to Dr. Adams. This started to make me feel that I wasn't watching some light comedy, about "The Devil", but a very serious and penetrating movie about a subject that has been on the minds of great thinkers since the dawn of recored history.

"Crazy as Hell" comes full-circle when it reaches it's climax. By that time I wasn't at all disappointed in what I saw in the film. Even though at first I didn't at all expect to see it when the movie started. Dr. Adams is invited to be the head psychiatrist, where there's to be made a documentary on his work on curing mental illness, at the Sedah State Mental Hospitle for a month. This is to use his ground breaking theories of curing those that are mentally ill without the use of mind-altering drugs or strong medication, like shock treatment.

At first Dr. Adams' methods work as he seems to cure one of the most psychotic patients at the hospital Cheryl, Tracy Pettit,from her self-destructive actions with out the use of drugs, which up to that time had little effect on her. As Dr. Adams starts to settle down and get into the swing of things in the hospital all of a sudden a person appears there as a new patient calling himself "The Man" or what he's better known as to us "The Devil" Eriq La Salle. From then on it's all down hill for the good doctor.

Dr. Adams is told by "The Devil" that he's really upset because of all the bad press that he's been receiving over the last thousands of years. He wants to set the record straight about himself and wants Dr. Adams to help him in that endeavor. At first Dr. Adams thinks that "The Man" is just a harmless eccentric. Later he sees that he knows a lot more about his past and background that he'll willing to talk about with "The Man" or anyone else.

"The Man" gets so under Dr.Adams skin that one afternoon at a picnic in the park with the other patients he loses it and almost comes to blows with him. Slowly Dr. Adams starts to lose his grip on reality to the point where he talks to his both deceased wife and daughter Veda & Brianna,Shelly Robertson & Khylan Jones. This strange conversation by Dr. Adams is picked up on video tape and, after seeing it, makes the administrator of the hospital Dr. Delazo, Ronny Cox, think that Dr. Adams needs to be treated for mental and psychological trauma himself.

Feeling very hostile toward his patient, which is very unprofessional for a doctor, Dr. Adams now drops his non-orthodox methods in regard to "The Man" and has him put on strong drugs and put in a padded cell and in a straight-jacker for 24 hours. Unknown to him "the Man" has a big surprise for Dr.Adams. When it finally comes it's going to shock him back to where the movie started when his troubles with "The Man" was just beginning.

Different yet vastly superior movie about "The Devil" and how he operates here on earth and in his underground kingdom. Michael Beach is very sympathetic in his role as the troubled Dr.Adams who's sparring with "The Devil" during the movie brings the best out of "The Devil" and the worst out of him which was "The Devil's" plan all along. The end of the movie was both sad and shocking when we, as well as Dr. Adams, see the "Grand Plan" that "The Devil" set into motion for Dr. Adams. It reveled the most darkest secrets that Dr. Adams was hiding from himself, and everyone else, that he kept hidden deep in his sad and troubled soul.

Eriq La Salle was both fascinating and scary as the sharp and witty Devil and played his part as the "Man from Hell" to the hilt. The scene at the picnic with the confrontation between "The Man" and Dr. Adams showed for the first time the other side of the coin of Dr. Adams cool clam and collective personality. As he lost his cool and ended up as crazy, if not more so, then the patients that he was treating.