Moonwalkers

MOONWALKERS is the first funniest movie of this year even though we just started on 2016 but I'm confident enough to shout that aloud because it really is going to be tough for other comedy films from this point forward to top MOONWALKERS. It's so outrageously funny, you're going to be gasping for air from laughing too hard.

Written by Dean Craig and directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, the legendary Ron Perlman plays an unstable CIA agent, he's a Vietnam war vet suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but he's been assigned by the agency to locate and hire filmmaker Stanley Kubrick so that Kubrick would film a fake moon landing just in case America's actual moon landing fails. One unsuccessful rock band manager (Rupert Grint) and his confused friend (Robert Sheehan) see this as an opportunity. But things get complicated.

It's part con man comedy, it's part gangster comedy, MOONWALKERS is basically something that Guy Ritchie would concoct back in the day. And on top of that, the story is set in a psychedelic era, so it adds to how fun and unpredictable MOONWALKERS can get, you see these characters who are in way over their heads, and a war vet who's just aching to unleash his frustrations. It's a comedy that relies on mistaken identity, misunderstanding, and ignorance, MOONWALKERS doesn't try too hard to make you laugh because the characters themselves are already doing a fantastic job at that. Well-written, well thought out and well-acted, Rupert Grint and Robert Sheehan have excellent comedic timing, Perlman's take no-prisoner-approach is entertaining. I haven't laughed this hard since 2007's "Death At a Funeral," it's good to have that feeling back.

It's a Guy Ritchie vs Tarantino style movie with Ron Perlman doing a great job as a sloppy arrogant agent that manages to mess up a mission to fake the moon landing teaming with two idiots that fooled him. A fun movie with a funny plot done in a very convincing manner.

This only proves how a good script, good shots and good direction together with good actors that are not necessarily celebrities - can end up with a great result that does not fall short of the big pictures. Food for thought for big studios IMHO and Perlman here shows sides which I've never before seen him do.

Definitely worth watching. Amusing, not hilarious but fun to watch.

The film was fun, if anything. All actors play well. Ron Perlman is a delight as an old CIA operative that has the shakes from all his Vietnam missions and wants to kill everybody, Rupert Grint basically plays Ron Weasley without the wand and Misfit Robert Sheenan is great as an unreliable but fun druggie who is always wasted.

The plot is totally silly and at no time is this film in danger of being used as proof for conspiracy nutters that think we never went to the Moon, but the script is well done. I mean, all stories start with a crazy "what if" seed and then there is the actual writing. The writing was good. The seed in this case was that the Americans would hire Stanley Kubrick to make a secret film of a fake Moon landing in case the real one failed, all in 10 days. Yeah, right.

Bottom line: this movie teaches us that while the Americans were sending their kids to die in Vietnam, Brits were really cool and fun. The rest is history.

"If we've got a guy that can make things look like they're on the moon then doesn't it make sense to film a pretend moon landing, just in case the real one doesn't work?" Apollo 11 is about to launch and NASA is worried. If the American's don't make it to the moon the set back could ruin the entire space program and the Russian's will have the upper hand. In order to hedge their bets they ask CIA agent Kidman (Perlman) to travel to England and ask if director Stanley Kubrick if he will film a movie of men landing just in case. When Kidman meets Jonny (Grint) things get a little off track. This movie is hilarious, it makes you wonder and is very psychedelic. I really loved it and laughed a lot they entire time. On the other hand this is not a movie that everyone will enjoy. There is a little Oliver Stone (a la Natural Born Killers) vibe to this and I really enjoyed that aspect. This is a very funny but different type of comedy that many people will love, but just as many either won't like or won't understand. Overall, a movie that I enjoyed and fans of psychedelic comedies will as well. I give this a B+.

Rupert Grint will forever be known as the actor who played Ron Weasley...no matter how many more films he makes and even if the films are nothing like the Harry Potter franchise. Because of this, some folks might be a bit aghast at his latest film, "Moonwalkers", as he's about as far from Ron Weasley as you could imagine! Instead of the angst-filled teen, here he's an adult living back in 1969 and he hangs with a pretty wild crowd of weirdos. He and his friends take drugs, hang out at avant garde parties where clothing is surely optional and he's a bit of a crook! In addition, he's joined by Ron Perlman...a very strange combination to say the least!

This film is a strange sort of what if movie. The premise is that the US government isn't totally sure that they will actually be able to get the first men on the moon safely...so they have a back-up plan. A CIA operative, Kidman (Perlman), is instructed to travel to Britain in order to convince Stanley Kubrick (yes...THAT Stanley Kubrick) to film a fake moon landing...just in case the real one fails. That way, as a back-up they can claim that the mission was a rousing success. To get Kubrick's cooperation, Kidman has a briefcase filled with cash...and instructions to kill the famed director of 2001 should they need to use his footage in order to prevent the truth from being revealed. However, when Kidman arrives at the office of Kubrick's agent to discuss the matter, the agent is out and his loser cousin Jonny (Grint) is there and Kidman mistakenly thinks Jonny is the man's agent. As for Jonny, he at first tries to tell Kidman about the mistake but then realizes that this might be the answer to all his financial problems. After all, gangsters are already talking about emasculating him if he doesn't pay them....immediately. And, Kidman has a briefcase filled with cash. So, Jonny decides to have one of his strange friends impersonate the director and con Kidman out of the money. However, there is much more to this story and it takes many, many strange and unpredictable turns. I challenge you to guess where the film will go next!

While this all sounds like a comedy, and it is of sorts, I must warn you that the film is extremely violent and filled will all sorts of things your mother would not approve of...well, at least my mother! There's quite a bit of nudity, harsh language and heads exploding galore...and the movie clearly has earned its R rating. In many ways, the film plays a lot like an early Guy Ritchie film like "Snatch" or "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"...it's funny but incredibly violent and not to everyone's taste. As for me, I really dislike 'ultra-violence' but can, on rare occasions, allow myself to endure it if the plot is good and engaging. While I wouldn't put it in the category of the two Ritchie films I mentioned since the story doesn't quite fit together as well as a Ritchie film, it was enjoyable and I recommend you see it...mostly because it is incredibly unique and, at times, fun. Of course, at other times, there are heads exploding, blood flying and boobs...so think twice before you consider seeing this one.

As far as the theaters go, this film came and went almost at the same time. While it was debuted in January, it's already on DVD and debuted on Netflix this week. I really think it's a case where the studio just didn't know what to do with the film or how to market it...it's that strange. It's definitely an acquired taste...but one I am glad I tried. With some excellent acting, a goofy script and some memorable characters, the good easily outweighed the negatives in this one.