I Like Killing Flies

Well, first off, I watched this because it deals with a restaurant in one of my favorite places, Greenwich Village, New York. Still the best place to bar hop, watch weirdo's and have a cheeseburger. I'm sorry to say I have never eaten at Shopsins, the topic of this fun little documentary. It's just a slice of life little movie about the struggles involved in running a successful restaurant. The topic is mainly how Kenny Shopsin, the eccentric owner, runs the place. Just the fact that many people believed that the, "Soup Nazi" of Seinfeld fame was based on him (although not true) should give you a small idea of what he's like. If you go into the place with a party of five (even if the place is empty) you will be immediately kicked out. The director, Matt Mahurin got the idea for the movie as a regular of the restaurant. To be honest, even with his strict ways and unusual rants, I found Kenny Shopsin to be a pretty decent guy. The documentary captures things at the right time. The place is going to shut down and relocated due to financial reasons and there is some emotion between him and his family, who happen to help him run the place. You may not learn a whole lot watching this but you will likely be entertained. In fact, I just might give the new location a visit when in New York, although I hear if you mention you're there because of the movie, you get kicked out so I may avoid a conversation with Kenny.

What a great idea-a documentary that just wants to entertain. Killing Flies is a restaurant-sized slice of life about Kenny Shopsin and his diner in Greenwich Village. The place is one of a kind and Shopsin's ad lib rants are as entertaining as any screenwriter could contrive. Watch this film and you will go out of your way to visit this restaurant when in New York, not just because of the eccentric owner, but because the food has the same eclectic appeal.

Directed by Matt Mahurin, who got the idea as a regular Shopsin customer, Killing Flies is fun and captivating entertainment without the usual documentary pedagogy. (OK, I did learn a few things: You can put about anything into pancakes. And DON'T bring a party of five into Shopsin's!)

I saw this movie the other night and was completely delighted by it. What passes for funny in most movies these days is usually recycled drivel that is apparent way before the punchline comes. Kenny Shopsin made me laugh at things I couldn't have imagined might come out of a human being's mouth-- and the best part is that a beat or two after you stop laughing, you realize how oddly thoughtful, intelligent and even tragic he is.

For what it's worth, the night I went, the director was there to talk about the movies afterwords and he came across as a very good guy who deserves to have people see his movie so he can go on making more like it. Also, if you take the advice of one of the other reviewers and visit Shopsin's while you're in Manhattan, don't tell him you're there because of the movie-- he'll throw you out.

It's OK for private business owners to have rules, but it's not OK to be unreasonable about their enforcement. So, he has a rule no parties over 4 people, fine. But when a party of 5, 6, 7-8 politely agrees to split in half, kicking them out is unacceptable. Especially when foul language, totally unprovoked, is involved.

As other reviewers have said, this is a nice slice of life in our largest and meanest city. I love food, and good restaurants. I totally support mom and pop's and spurn chains whenever I can. Usually the quality is much higher, because mom and pop's aren't being driven by Wall Street investors looking for the max return on investment at all costs to the consumer. The M&P's are actually run by real humans who, of course, need to make a profit and living, like the rest of us, but *may* still have some pride (and some shame) in what they are doing. Usually a much better bet than the investor backed chains.

I found it a very entertaining little documentary, and I wish the family the best, but it is no accident that the YouTube page I found it on also has many links that debate the difference between psychopath/sociopath, and some serial killer docs as well.

New York's "friendly" neighborhood restaurant proprietor has a marked mental illness. Mostly I feel sorry for him, his family and his masochistic patrons.

Don't believe me? Look up reviews on Yelp.

This movie feels like an art school film project that caught fire and ended up being something bigger than anyone expected. From the ludicrous commentary of the madman that is Kenny Shopsin, to the real, applicable life lessons throughout, this documentary style film should be viewed by anyone with a love for food, family and of course, restaurant culture. Within each scene, comment, incident, lies small truths and realities that we all face as humans in this society. Alongside the daily struggles of the family system, is the restaurant itself which is as eccentric and charismatic as the family that owns it... This movie represents the city of New York, the neighborhood, and ultimately the PEOPLE that make any community what it is... I try and show this film to as many people as I can because I know the rise of popularity in a cult classic is a slow one, but that's what this production is... a true cult classic.