Victor (Rockwell) in an effort to pay for his once radical, now demented mother’s (Academy Award® winner Anjelica Huston) expensive care in a private hospital, engages in a brazen scam. While dining in upscale restaurants, he deliberately chokes on his food, allowing himself to be “saved” by good Samaritans who grow so close to him in the wake of their heroic Heimlich Maneuvers, they lavish him with checks. His day job is no more conventional: he portrays an indentured Irish servant in full 18th Century garb at a historical theme park. And when he isn’t busy being a put upon Pilgrim, gagging violently or visiting the mother who doesn’t recognize him, Victor is attending sexaholic recovery meetings (or having forbidden encounters in the meeting hall bathroom). IN CINEMAS 21st NOVEMBER 2008.
This is a pretty unusual film, and I'm glad I don't have to decide what genre it should go in because much like Fight Club (also from the pen of Chuck Palahniuk) I'm stumped. It's extremely well acted and directed, and the darkly comic interaction between the characters keeps you intrigued and entertained. What the film lacks in plot (there is no classic start/middle/end here) it more than makes up for with well developed characters and intelligent dialog.
This is a pretty unusual film, and I'm glad I do…
Posted: 07 October 2008