Father's Day

A demonic character known as Chris Fuchman (Mackenzie Murdock) has been out and about for a long, long time, raping and murdering fathers with gleeful abandon. It's up to a one-eyed recluse named Ahab (Adam Brooks), a solicitous young priest, Father John Sullivan (Matthew Kennedy), and a delinquent, Twink (Conor Sweeney), to vanquish this beast, and save the soul of Ahabs' smoking hot sister Chelsea (Amy Groening).

It's not surprising that the notorious Troma company would have been involved in this joyously classless story. Certainly it bears a number of their trademarks: the over the top gore, the defiling of good taste, the blasphemy, the hammy acting, etc. Written and directed by a filmmaking collective known as "Astron-6" (including our three leading actors), it's made to look like the first movie in a late-night TV triple feature. If you're a fan of Troma, or are at least familiar with the way that they do things, you're likely to have fun with "Father's Day", as it careens from one outrageous sequence to another.

The gore and creature effects are great fun, use of various Canadian cities (including Winnipeg, this viewers' hometown) is effective, and there's a hearty helping of amusing and catchy music. There's plenty of bare skin revealed by the attractive female cast, and the performances are, in general, suited to the material. Kennedy, in particular, is a hoot, especially when he dies and goes to Heaven, and then spends all his time there trying to get damned to Hell, because that's where he needs to be to help his friends. Viewers will be delighted with the cameos by the guy playing God and The Devil.

Diverting entertainment for anybody who desires politically incorrect, cinematic insanity.

All you need to know: there's one hysterical moment where Ahab does Chelsea doggy style.

Seven out of 10.

It's hard to mention "Father's Day" without talking about the controversy surrounding it. It all started in 2010, when it was announced that Troma was going to help finance a movie based on a mock trailer made by a Canadian collective known as Astron 6. The movie eventually got released in festivals and midnight screenings-and when it came time for a DVD/Blu-Ray release, word got out that there were problems between the two. Apparently, Lloyd was selling bootleg copies of the movie, and that the Astron 6 logo was not included on the poster. I don't know if this is true, but if it is, then that really sucks. Especially when the end result is probably my favorite Troma movie, and is the best thing they've done in forever (I'm not a "Citizen Toxie", "Terror Firmer" or "Poultrygeist" fan to be honest.)

The story is one we all know well: As a kid, Ahab saw his father become raped and murdered by serial killer Chris Fuchman (Mackenzie Murdoch), who has a thing for dads. Years later, the spree continues, and Father John Sullivan (Matthew Kennedy) and a gay street hustler named Twink (Conner Sweeney) want a now adult Ahab (Adam Brooks) to stop this father rapist once and for all. However, things are going to be hard, as Fuchman also has his eyes set on Ahab's sister Chelsea (Amy Groening.) To make matter worse, it turns out that this killer isn't all he seems to be.

First things first: This is not a movie for the squeamish. There's multiple scenes of male rape, tons of male nudity (some of it comical, though there's also plenty of female nudity to go with it), graphic gore and even genital mutilation. In spite of all that, this is actually a comedy that serves as both a homage and a satire of exploitation films. Think what would happen if a Canadian sketch comedy troupe like The Kids in the Hall did a horror/comedy, and you might be close. Thankfully, it's also frequently funny, with at least 98% of the jokes hitting their target. Next to "Black Dynamite", this is the funniest Neo-Grindhouse movie I've seen. Plus, it has the best Lloyd Kaufman cameo ever, as he shows up as both God and Satan.

On top of that, it's also very well made. The direction is top notch throughout, and actually manages to do what most micro-budget (this cost $10,000) movies can't do and makes it look at least 10 times it's budget. The acting is also good, with everyone hitting the right tone and managing to make their characters interesting (Twink is my favorite. Dude's hilarious.) Add a dead on score, great make-up and gore effects, great one liners and tons of enthusiasm and literal blood, sweat and tears to make it, and you have yourself a winner.

"Father's Day" will not be for everyone. Those who are easily grossed out or offended (hell, even those of hardened sensibilities will find themselves cringing) will most likely avoid it. For me though, this is one of the best exploitation tributes I've ever seen, and is a must for fans of Troma or warped comedy in general.

In all my years of a horror fanatic and throughout the experience of writing more than 3.000 film reviews, it hasn't happened to me very often (not once, in fact) but right now I'm completely … utterly … speechless! I anticipated something quite bonkers, but "Father's Day" is truly the most demented, twisted, sickest and derailed genre outing that I ever watched. And I'm glad that I watched it on a big screen, at the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Films, together with a chock-full theater of equally avid and enthusiast freaks like myself. The crowd literally went wild upon being exposed to such a massive amount of gore, perversity, craziness and smut! This movie truly embodied the absolute most fun you can experience at a festival. Written and directed by a collective of no less than six creative minds – who are undoubtedly all mentally ill beyond repair – and produced by the legendary infamous Troma Studios, "Father's Day" is best described as a sort of homage/throwback to gritty & low-budgeted Grindhouse cinema from the 70's and early 80's, but I assure you that even throughout that entirely lunatic era, there was never a film so extreme as this one.

Where and how to begin with describing this unique piece of trash? With the plot, perhaps? It's practically impossible, but I'll give it a shot anyways. The pauperized ghetto streets are terrorized by the psychopath Chris Fuchman; an anal rapist and serial killer targeting distinguished middle class fathers. One of the victims' sons (a gay teenage prostitute) teams up with an ambitious young priest, but they quickly realize they'll need the help of the eye-patch wearing warrior Ahab. He hunted down Fuchman once before, but now retired to the Canadian forests in order to devote his life to making maple syrup. I kid you not. Ahab can be convinced to fight, however, as this grants him the opportunity to restore his relationship with his estranged go-go dancing sister Chelsea. Together, this crazy wild bunch tracks down Fuchman, but their work isn't even finished when they kill him, as his soul and even his evil sperm carry forward the killing spree. Mind you that this short description doesn't give you one quarter of insight about everything that's going on in "Father's Day". The plot is much more convoluted and insane than this, complete with dead-end sub plots, a massive load of flamboyant supportive characters, depraved undertones and a finale that left a complete theater full of horror freaks startled! I don't suppose I have to emphasize this, but "Father's Day" should most definitely be avoided by all easily offended, prudish, squeamish and politically correct viewers. The film is a smörgåsbord of blood and intestines, cut off body parts, ripped out organs, bludgeoned faces and – oh yes – even cut open/bitten off penises and crushed fetuses. The acting performances are all extremely over-the-top (like they ought to be) and the movie is supported by a penetrating soundtrack, raw & primitive cinematography and awesomely animated opening credits. Particularly the depiction of heaven and hell near the climax are deliciously deranged. And, as some sort of extra reward for the fans, there's a brilliant cameo appearance by Troma's smut-deity Lloyd Kaufman in a genuinely apt role.

Lloyd Kaufman and Jeremy Gillespie, one of the director's collective Astron-6, were present in Brussels at the festival to introduce their film and provided some interesting background production info. The crazed out collective initially fabricated a fake trailer for "Father's Day" and sent it to the Troma headquarters. To their own surprise, Troma contacted them back and offered them the relatively low (at least to make a full-feature film) sum of $10.000. Gillespie elaborated that it's incredibly difficult to make a full movie out of a fake trailer that actually even started as a little joke. Most of the downright absurd and unfathomable situations and plot twists in the film are a direct consequence of the fact that Astron-6 stuffed nonsensical ideas into their trailer, unaware they later had to bring coherence between it all. But the result is there. "Father's Day" is destined to become a Troma cult favorite for sure.

Father's Day is a Troma film and such as these production type movies, it isn't mainstream and certainly for a specific niche audience. There is most definitely a certain charm and bizarreness that makes this film worthwhile and engaging to watch. A lot happens and it is completely unpredictable in which direction it takes.

It is cheap and the over the top special effects look as such making nothing exactly shocking but more so disturbing and somewhat cringe.

The plot starts off relatively slow but once the lead character of Ahab (who sounds like he's doing a Batman voice impersonation) is further brought in, the film gets going.

Troma films shouldn't be judge by ordinary standards. They are not exactly "good" in the same way that mainstream Hollywood films might be good. They are "good" by being as insane and over the top graphically with cheesy acting as possible.

Containing boundary pushing gore, everything is intended to be offensive and sick. It works since it feels quite original and very "out there". It is gory, sick, depraved, self-knowingly silly, and entertaining if you're in the right frame of mind. Sure, however it succeeds in doing the exact thing it sets out to.

The ending is somewhat of a cop out and sort of drags on, when we see the final reveal, although quite unpredictable in a sense.

Like Troma films, Father's Day isn't for everyone, though for fans of Troma or oddball, unconventional spoof comedy/over the top cheesy unrealistic gore films, it's certainly watchable.

FATHER'S DAY is a gory, disgusting, perverted mess... in a good way!

After several years, the notorious Chris Fuchman (Mackenzie Murdock) is back to rape and mutilate anyone in his path. Especially dads. No kidding, this guy is one of the most nauseating killers to ever (dis)grace the screen!

Now, it's up to an unlikely trio of would-be crimefighters (Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy, and Conor Sweeney) to track down this odious monster and do what must be done.

This movie goes out of its way to be offensive and revolting, hitting just about every red button along the way. It's also hysterically funny. If you enjoy absurd, crackpot cinema with bite, then you can't go wrong here!...