Who names these things?
Publisher: AV Channel
Fri, 12 August 2005
by: Tyz
To be perfectly honest I don't know if this is a film for everyone. It is a quirky little comedy that has some fantastic acting talent behind it, but a story that you have to trust in order for it to grab you. Does it pay off on that trust? That's where opinions will differ greatly.
Before we get into that, let us spare a few words for John Turturro. The first thing I can remember seeing him in was the ridiculous, slapstick comedy Brain Donors, and I have been admiring everything he's done ever since. Films such as Quiz Show, Barton Fink, O' Brother Where Art Thou, not to forget his brilliant performance as Jesus the paedophile bowler in The Big Lebowski, have made him a favourite of the alternative cinema audience. His ability to play real and the surreal characters equally convincingly has been showcased by his frequent appearances in Cohen Brothers' productions – and again in 2 B Perfectly Honest.
 | | Looks like a typical Buttonhole reader |
Although not the star of the film (that going to Adam Trese as Frank) John Turturro's character Sal will be the one you will remember with the most fondness. He owns a Chess shop in Manhattan, smokes dope through a hookah while serving at the counter and has a sales technique reminiscent of Randal out of Clerks. His role in the film is to give sagely advice to our hero Frank while he tries to get funding for his new internet business idea. Although not great with the business advice, he does have a great solution to dealing with immoral people – shoot them in the back so they die an immoral death.
Sal is one of the many characters that Frank meets while trying to get his business idea of the ground, all played by a fantastic supporting cast including Michael Badalucco (The Practice) and Aida Turturro (The Sopranos). Unfortunately these great supporting actors tend to over shadow Adam Trese which leaves you wanting more of them, and less of him. The film's plot serves mostly as a frame for the interactions between Frank and a cast of characters that includes a modern day witch, a business man who loves a steam, mysterious investors from the garbage disposal business, and of course Sal.
In a weird series of scenes that seems straight out of The Princess Bride, the film is actually a bedtime story told by a man called Jack to his young son. This is where the film gets a bit too clever for itself and becomes a story within a story within a story. A lack of cohesion in the narrative results in the plot falling down when the twist kicks in, and kind of leaves you wondering just what they hell is going on. A great plot twist makes perfect sense with the rest of the film, but changes your perspective on everything you've seen up to that point – this plot twist is just a bit confusing and silly.
That aside, this is a film worth watching for some impressive performances, and I think with some more experience under his belt Director Randel Cole will produce some great films.
2B Pefectly Honest is due for retail release on DVD on the 21st of September 2005. This DVD is a preview copy, at the time of writing bonus features for the retail version had not been finalised.
by: Tyz
More articles by Tyz
As I said, not for everyone, but if you'd like to see at least one comedy this year that doesn't star Will Farrel you should check it out. | |
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