TURNING RED (2022)

March 10, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. If only the transformation brought on by puberty were half as soft and cuddly as the giant Red Panda in this latest from Pixar, imagine the reduction in slammed doors and the increase in dinner table conversations between parents and young teenagers. Writer-director Domee Shi won an Oscar for her excellent animated short film BAO (2018), and has collaborated with co-writer Julia Cho for the director’s first feature. It seems reasonable to assume that much of what we see on screen is taken from their own adolescent experiences, as well as those of countless others.

Meilin (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) is a 13-year-old 8th grader who fancies herself as a free-spirited teenager basking in her independence. However, the real story is that she’s a straight-A student obediently following the highly structured life constructed by her mother. Mei’s responsibilities include helping her mother clean the temple the family manages … the oldest temple in Toronto. It not only serves the local Chinese community by paying homage to the Gods, but it also holds a sacred place for Mei’s ancestors. Mei’s mother keeps her so duty-bound, that she’s unable to find time to karaoke with her friends.

One morning, after a particularly vivid and emotional dream, Mei is transformed into a giant Red Panda … well she pops in and out of Panda state. Her mother Ming (Sandra Oh) quickly reacts assuming her daughter’s “change” is the beginning of a menstrual cycle. But things change drastically when Ming finds out about the Red Panda. Her family has considered this a spell from the Gods, one that has followed the women for multiple generations. Mei discovers this when her grandmother and a slew of Aunts show up for the Red Moon ritual – the only way to rid Mei of the Red Panda.

Mei soon realizes her emotional outbursts are what cause the transformation. When she’s overly excited or agitated, the Red Panda appears. It’s mostly when she’s calm and at ease around her friends that she’s her ‘normal’ self. In fact, the friendships are the key to this story. Miriam (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and Abby (Hyein Park) immediately rally to Mei’s defense and accept these startling changes. They even find a way to use it to their advantage, focusing on an upcoming concert by 4-Town, a 5 member (yep) boy band that the girls are gaga about. The music for 4-Town is co-written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, and is humorously in line with what we’d expect (and remember) from a 2002 boy band.

We watch as Mei struggles with the emotional rollercoaster that brings out the Red Panda. It’s refreshing to see such a portrait of friendship, and also acknowledge that overbearing parents can cause stress, no matter how caring they might be. Mei learns that by letting go of the perfect kid syndrome and wallowing in her messy self, she can truly discover who she is as a young person. It’s a Pixar movie, so we fully expect life lessons and psychology to play a role. And that’s also part of the problem here. Being a Pixar film means you get compared to other Pixar films, and that’s a crazy high standard. This one doesn’t come close to the best work from the studio, although we welcome the rare look at female adolescence and friendship, as well as the impact a mother-daughter relationship can have on multiple generations.

Available exclusively on Disney+ beginning March 11, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE ADAM PROJECT (2022)

March 10, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. At a certain age, most of us have given some thought to what we might say to our younger self if we had the opportunity to go back in time. The familiar phrase goes, “Hindsight is 20/20”, but what if we had foresight? What if we knew the best choices to make, and the bad decisions to avoid? Director Shawn Levy (the “Night at the Museum” franchise) reunites with his FREE GUY (2021) actor, Ryan Reynolds, to bring us a crowd-pleasing time travel movie with a personal twist. The script was co-written by Jonathan Tropper (“Banshee” creator), TS Nowlin (“The Maze Runner” franchise), and Jennifer Flackett (“Big Mouth”).

Twelve-year-old Adam (Walker Scobell in his first film) is the kind of wisecracking kid that attracts bullies at school. He lives with his mother (Jennifer Garner), and they are both still mourning his dad who died in a car crash. Ms. Garner is saddled with the film’s most obvious line when she lectures young Adam, “… the future is coming sooner than you think.” When adolescent Adam stumbles on an injured astronaut in the garage, it takes a while before he figures out that it’s actually his own self from the future (2050 vs 2022). When you have a wisecracking 12-year-old, it’s only perfect casting to have wisecracking master Ryan Reynolds play the older version. Despite some early friction, or maybe because of it, the two enjoy playing off each other with snappy one-liners and comebacks.

As with most time travel stories, things get a bit complicated, and the only solution involves taking a bigger risk and adding more complications. Not to give anything away, but the two Adams are forced to make a joint time-jump to find dear old dad, Professor Louis Reed (Mark Ruffalo). The purpose is not to save dad’s life, but for other personal reasons that involve Zoe Saldana as Laura, and Catherine Keener (miscast as the villain) as Maya, Professor Reed’s not so ethical business partner. It’s this section that offers the most action and tension, although the film is best delivering for the audience when the wisecracks are flying between Reynolds, Ruffalo, and Scobell).

Director Levy has constructed a charming film that proves quite entertaining for mainstream audiences, and he adds little touches like a family dog named Hawking, and classic rock from Led Zeppelin, Spencer Davis Group, Boston, and Pete Townsend. He even avoids the temptation to add a line of dialogue, “Hey Dad, wanna have a catch?” Outside of one sequence, the special effects are minimal considering it’s a time travel movie, and at its heart, it’s a story about coming to grips with family and who you are as a person.

Available on Netflix beginning March 11, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

I AM HERE (2022, doc)

March 10, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. This isn’t the first documentary profile of a Holocaust survivor, but given the timeframe involved, it’s likely to be one of the last. It’s the first feature length documentary from Jordy Sank, and he was a teenager when he first met his subject, Ella Blumenthal. Taking a different approach, Mr. Sank and a small crew filmed Ms. Blumenthal’s 98th birthday party over a weekend with her friends and extended family – kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.

Born in Warsaw in 1921, Ella was 18 years old when the war started in 1939. 23 of her family members were taken by Germans, and only she and her niece, Roma, would survive. Director Sank wisely keeps Ella on camera as much as possible because she is a true force of nature. Her stories are riveting and shocking, yet she remains so energetic … filled with light and full of life. Some animation is utilized to complement Ella’s stories to ensure that we visualize what she recalls. Her stories include her time in Majdanek, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen, three concentration camps where so many Jews were exterminated. By the time, Bergen-Belsen was liberated on April 15, 1945, Ella had spent most of 5 years in horrific captivity. She recalls how close she came to death before a nurse-friend stepped in to save her life.

Ella even tells her post-war stories, including meeting her husband, which resulted in a relocation to South Africa. The couple purchased and ran a department store, and now at age 100, Ella still lives in Cape Town, enjoying a life of friends, family, and swimming. The scar on her arm keeps the past terribly close, but this lady’s spirit is something special. We see clips of her visiting the sites of the concentration camps, and we hear a stunning story of her reaction to one particular case of antisemitism. Most of us know someone who has an admirable zest for life, but rest assured you’ll come away from Ella’s story touched and inspired … and hopefully share her approach of being thankful for every day.

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE GIRL ON THE MOUNTAIN (2022)

March 7, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Jack Ward first appears as the conductor of an orchestra during a live performance. It seems to be going well until he declines a call from his teenage daughter, Melody. See, it’s his day to pick her up from school. When he doesn’t show up, she walks home. After receiving congratulations for the musical performance, tragedy and guilt strike Jack on the same day. And then tragedy strikes again. It’s more than one man can take, and the next time we see Jack, he’s on a mountaintop contemplating suicide.

Writer-director Matt Sconce delivers a story from Christopher Mejia, and much of it takes place in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Actually, the mountains and the shots of nature (filmed by director Sconce) are the standouts here, as it’s terrain that we haven’t seen too often on screen. As a conductor, Jack (Daniel O’Reilly) was the ultimate clean-cut professional. After time on the mountain, he a haggard, worn-down man with little reason to live. He carries a bullet in his boot for the day when he’s strong enough to end things. One day, a mute girl steals food from his backpack. He tracks her down and since he (conveniently) knows sign-language, he learns the mute girl is running from a dangerous family situation. He calls her Aria (Makenzie Sconce, assuming her to be the director’s daughter), and the two bond over skimming stones, fishing, and paper airplanes.

The tension in the story is twofold: flashbacks and the pursuit. Jack and Aria both have their flashbacks to bad times. Jack recalls his mistakes with daughter Melody (Sarah Dorothy Little), while Aria’s dreams remind of her an unbearable life with her dad, Big Al. It’s Big Al’s pursuit of Aria that keeps her and Jack on the lookout. He’s hunting her down since she was witness to his horrible action. There are two distractions here that deserve mention. The eye makeup on Mr. O’Reilly is downright creepy at times, while the orthodontic braces on Aria’s teeth simply don’t belong, given the deep poverty of her home life.

Mr. O’Reilly, young Ms. Sconce, and Ms. Little are fine in their roles, but the other supporting characters, though not on screen for long, are detrimental to flow. The story of redemption and awakening is really nothing new, but the mountainous setting adds a level of differentiation that keeps us interested. A strange ending leaves us wondering, what now?

Available On Demand beginning March 8, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

LUCY AND DESI (2022, doc)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Since it is arriving on the heels of Aaron Sorkin’s dramatized BEING THE RICARDOS (2021), it’s tempting to view this documentary as if a professor is grading his work … or at least fact-checking. However, Sorkin’s film, which resulted in Oscar nominations for Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, and JK Simmons, was based on a snapshot in time (and even took some liberties with that), while this first documentary from Amy Poehler takes a much wider lens to the life and career of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

An elite comedian herself, Ms. Poehler’s obvious admiration and respect for Lucy is understandable, and her film plays much like a tribute to her hero. She includes brief interviews with such legends as Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Bette Midler, and Charo … each who have had enormous success in the comedy field. These folks all tip their cap to Lucy and Desi and their remarkable groundbreaking achievements with “I Love Lucy” – the most important, the most beloved, and the most long-lived sitcom in TV history.

Ms. Poehler also interviews Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucy and Desi. We learn a long-forgotten box of audio tapes was discovered, and that allows us to hear much of their history directly from Lucy and Desi. Lucie adds to the loving and respectful nature of the presentation, although we can’t help but notice her brother, Desi Jr, only shows up in one brief clip of a previous interview. Poehler complements the audio tapes with some excellent archival footage, including home movies that add to the personal feel.

The necessary background is provided so that we may better appreciate just what these two accomplished. Lucy’s grandfather took her to vaudeville shows, and she worked as a model prior to becoming “Queen of the B’s”. Desi’s family was affiliated with the Bacardi rum empire and lost everything in the 1933 Cuban revolution when he was 14. He worked in Xavier Cugat’s band and refined the “Conga line” that is still a party favorite these days. Lucy and Desi met on the set of the RKO movie TOO MANY GIRLS (1940) and after a whirlwind romance, the two were married shortly thereafter.

The marriage difficulties are soft-pedaled, and while it’s clear they loved each other very much, we learn that due to Desi’s stint in the Army and near-constant touring with his band, that the newlyweds saw very little of each other those first few years. In fact, that’s what inspired Lucy to demand that Desi play her husband in the new TV show. We then learn about the extraordinary business decisions that were made – not just for the show, but also in founding their own studio, Desilu, which allowed them to own their show and produce others. It was the selling of all 179 episodes of “I Love Lucy” that kicked off the whole idea of reruns, a staple of today’s television programming.

We see some classic clips from the sitcom, as well as footage of Desi performing his signature “Babaloo”. Lucy and Desi met, fell in love, worked together in the most popular sitcom of all-time, had kids together, built a revolutionary studio business together, divorced, and loved each other forever. Lucie recalls her mother visiting Desi as he lay in bed, slowly dying from lung cancer. She could hear their laughter as they watched “I Love Lucy” reruns. Is the story truth or legend?  Does it matter? The two had a lasting and historic impact on the entertainment world, both from what was on screen and from the business side of running a studio. And even today, everyone still loves Lucy.

Exclusively on Amazon Prime beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

FRESH (2022)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Discotheques and Night Clubs were regularly referred to as ‘meat markets’, and all movie lovers are familiar with the term ‘meet-cute’. It’s rare for meat and meet to merge into a cautionary tale of modern-day dating, but that’s what we get from director Mimi Cave’s first feature film and a script from Lauryn Kahn (IBIZA, 2018). This twisted film should slide easily into the Midnight Movie rotation for those looking for a slicer, rather than a slasher.

Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Normal People”, 2020) stars as Noa, a twenty-something frustrated with the results of digital dating apps. Her experience is a case study on the challenges of meeting someone special, or even someone not psychotic, through a dating app. She swipes right on a cute puppy picture, and almost immediately receives an unwanted ‘private’ shot. When she does agree to have dinner with one guy, he criticizes her fashion, yearns for old-fashioned femininity, makes her pay half, and doesn’t bother to hold the door for her. Noa tells her close friend Mollie (Jojo T Gibbs) that she’s done with dating for a while, and who can blame her?

Not long after that trainwreck date, and when she’s least expecting it, Noa gets her meet-cute in the produce aisle at the grocery store. Steve (Sebastian Stan who plays Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Universe) is a charming, good-looking guy and she agrees to give him her number. Their first date is filled with the usual background Q&A stuff, but it’s clear that Noa and Steve have some chemistry. The reason this works cinematically is that director Cave allows us to view Steve through Noa’s eyes. Just like her, we are diligently searching for red flags, remaining on high alert for signs something is off. But plastic surgeon Steve’s early warning signs only become noticeable much later (too late) after his true self is revealed.

Steve’s true-self-revelation is a doozy, and the opening credits pop up just after the gut-punch, approximately 40 minutes in. While the first act plays a bit like a traditional rom-com with all the associated romantic awkwardness, the stunningly plausible shift jerks us and Noa in a different direction. Additional supporting work is provided by Dayo Okeniyi as an initially helpful bartender whose recognition of horror film tropes prevent him from taking any heroic action, and Charlotte Le Bon as a surprise addition to the proceedings. But it’s the performances and the twisted chemistry of Ms. Edgar-Jones and Mr. Stan that allows the premise to work and Act 3 to not quite slip into full blown absurdity. Without giving anything else away, I can admit that this referendum on dating and people, presented as a horror film, struck me as a blend of PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020), GET OUT (2017), and a personal favorite, EATING RAOUL (1982).

Streaming exclusively on HULU beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

HUDA’S SALON (2022)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Hany Abu-Assad has had two films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. OMAR (2013) and PARADISE NOW (2005) were both excellent and deserving of such regard. His latest in ‘based on true events’ from Bethlehem, West Bank in Occupied Palestine. He shows us the intimidating wall around the city and points out the vulnerability of local women.

Reem (Maisa Ebd Elhadi) is in the chair for her appointment with Huda (Manal Awad) at the salon. The banter between the two women shows an obvious connection between a long-time client and her stylist. However, it’s the first visit in a while as Reem has recently had a baby, and the infant is along for this appointment. The cheerful conversation comes to an abrupt halt following Huda’s shocking actions. This extended take is difficult for us as viewers, as we see the entire thing unfold.

The ultimate betrayal between friends leads to a direct conversation that has Reem grasping for a proper solution and fearing for her life. Huda’s actions have placed Reem and her family in imminent danger. Huda has blackmailed Reem into providing information to Israel’s Secret Service … spying on her community. On top of tending to her infant child and worrying about her new perilous situation, Reem is also dealing with a jealous husband at home. Yusef (Jalal Masarwa) thinks his biggest concern is a wife who may be sneaking around on him (she’s not), when in fact, the danger is much more severe.

After the initial sequence in the salon, the bulk of the film is a back and forth between Reem desperately trying to save herself and her baby, and Huda being interrogated by Hasan (Ali Suliman), a Palestinian pushing Huda to identify those she has “turned” in the same manner she blackmailed Reem. The contrast between these two concurrent threads is striking. While both are ominous, Huda is exceedingly cool under pressure while Reem is frantic. The reason for the differences: Huda is resigned to her fate, while Reem remains hopeful.

It’s The Occupation versus The Resistance, and to be a traitor likely means death. But what to do when blackmailed and caught in a no-win situation? That’s Reem’s predicament. At the same time, Huda, already a societal outcast as a divorcee, has played her role and fully understands what that means. To ensure we “get” the existence women are living, director Abu-Assad inserts a scene in a clinic where a pregnant woman begs for another test after it’s announced she’s having another daughter. This perfectly illustrates the value of women caught up in the geopolitical battle between Israel and Palestine.

In theaters and On Demand beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE BATMAN (2022)

February 28, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Riddle me this: does “The Bat, The Cat, and The Rat” sound more like an opening line to a joke or the title of a Dr. Seuss book? In fact, those are three core elements of this new, COVID-delayed, and highly anticipated film from writer-director Matt Reeves and co-writer Peter Craig. I’ll confess to being a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy (that concluded 10 years ago), and being a bit skeptical to a new version featuring Robert Pattinson in the titular role (I’m choosing to totally ignore the in-between portrayals in the “Justice League” movies). Knowing full well how important it is for fans to watch these films with fresh eyes and a clear head, this review is purposefully vague on what will surely prove to be some of the more popular and contentious discussion points.

Let’s start with a general description and the setup. The film is dark and gloomy and gritty and grimy. Gotham is a cesspool of corruption and crime, and we get no glimpse into the other side, assuming there is one. Billionaire Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) is still in his second year as the Batman, often referred to as “Vengeance”. There is substantial backstory for Mr. Wayne, who lives in relative seclusion with his trusty manservant Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), while the Batman prowls at night in his efforts to clean up the city. Of course he is unable to keep pace with crime and corruption, even with the close alliance he has built with good cop, Police Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). It takes Batman’s Poirot-like detective skills to solve a riddle left as a clue in a particularly high-profile murder case. Soon it’s obvious a serial killer is at work and he has purposefully drawn the Batman into his game.

The caped crusader proceeds to cross paths with Selena Kyle/Catwoman (a terrific Zoe Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), District Attorney Gil Golson (Peter Sarsgaard), and crime lord Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). As city VIPs begin showing up dead, it’s a masked Edward Nashton/Riddler (Paul Dano) who always seems a step ahead. All of the above receive their chance to shine on screen, and while none let us down, it’s not until the mask is ripped from Riddler, and Dano really shines, that we are left wanting more. It should be noted that Farrell (with his facial prosthetics and fat suit) is kind of a second fiddle here, but it’s surely intentional and meant to set the stage for more Penguin antics down the road.

Pattinson will certainly receive the most scrutiny. I found him to be an excellent Batman, with black eye makeup smeared by sweat under his cowl, maintaining the grungy tone. His whispery voice differs from Christian Bale’s gravely growl, but works for the character’s withdrawn nature and preference for detective work over than fighting. Staying true to the premise that this is only his second year, there is a significant shortage of “wonderful toys”, and the batmobile is less rocket ship and more souped-up coupe. The contrast to these is a batsuit that seems quite advanced (and looks cool). It’s Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne that didn’t work for me. I respect the reclusive billionaire aspect, but he mostly looks like someone on their way to a Nirvana gig, leaving us wondering how the heck could anyone not connect the dots between a creepy rich guy and a nearly identical creepy guy in a bat suit. It’s a minor complaint, but one that stuck with me.

Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (UP, 2009) takes a more classical approach than the dramatics of predecessors Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman. Giacchino has been a frequent Pixar contributor, and scored some well-known blockbusters in franchises like ‘Jurassic World’, ‘Star Trek’, ‘Planet of the Apes’, ‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Spider-man’, and ‘Star Wars’. His work fits nicely here. Adapting characters and stories originated by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Matt Reeves and Peter Craig have found a way to put their own stamp on the work. Mr. Craig is Oscar winner Sally Field’s son, and his previous scripts include THE TOWN (2010), parts 1 and 2 of THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, and upcoming high-profile projects in TOP GUN: MAVERICK and GLADIATOR 2. Director Reeves has previously helmed the excellent horror film LET ME IN (2010), as well as DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014) and WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017).

This marks the first in a planned Batman trilogy, and a couple of the last scenes seemingly set the stage for what’s to come. Although this is an odd movie, here’s hoping the franchise maintains this tone and avoids the typical Marvel/DC overblown CGI approach. After all, the Batman is but one man, not a God of superpowers. This film is an unusual blend of noir-horror-detective-action-psychological thriller wrapped in a gray box with a black bow, and though it will likely be divisive among fans (isn’t everything?), this 3-hour epic leaves us anticipating the next ‘bat time’ and ‘bat channel’.

Opens wide in theaters on March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE DESPERATE HOUR (2022)

February 25, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Given the tragic and inexcusable frequency of real world school shootings, it’s debatable whether the topic should be considered as the basis for a movie – even one that focuses on the emotional turmoil of mother and student. Regardless of anyone’s opinion on that, this viewer found very little of value in the film, outside of Naomi Watts’ efforts. It’s not particularly entertaining as a thriller, and some of the details that play out here would be comical, if not for the subject matter.

Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts stars as widowed single mother Amy Carr. The one-year anniversary of the car crash that killed her husband has arrived, and those haunting visions still jolt her from a deep sleep. After calling in to work for a personal day, failing to roust her teenage son Noah (Colton Gobbo) from bed, and ensuring young daughter Emily (Sierra Maltby) is safely on the school bus, Amy heads out for a morning jog.

From that point on, most of what happens stretches the bounds of believability to the point that a few eye rolls are perfectly acceptable. Amy’s jog somehow takes her miles into a forest, and yet she manages to hold more phone conversations than an old-time switchboard operator. That is, until she learns of the active shooter. This triggers sporadic cell coverage – now she has it, now she doesn’t. Her magic phone does allow crazy fast and detailed GPS information, and yet the most ridiculous LYFT order ever. It’s clear every driver in town has had some form of car crash and evidently they all have dealt with the body shop across from the school, where the most helpful attendant in history answers Amy’s calls. The same can be said for the 911 operator she reaches multiple times – despite the local urgent and dangerous situation. And if I haven’t used the word ludicrous yet, that’s the best description of Amy’s interactions with local law enforcement … after her sprained ankle and slight concussion.

On the plus side, Ms. Watts gives the role everything she has. And since it’s a “pandemic” movie, almost every scene features her going solo. She’s a true professional that simply can’t save the material. Phillip Noyce directed one of my favorite underrated thrillers, DEAD CALM (1989), and is best known for the Harrison Ford – Jack Ryan thrillers PATRIOT GAMES (1992) and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994). Screenwriter Chris Sparling was behind a far superior ‘one-actor’ film with BURIED (2010). A certain amount of guilt goes with criticizing this movie, given the topic; however, the exploitive nature and gimmicky elements prevent any other approach. The ending is an absurd display of social media with the all-too-familiar cry of “this has to stop.” Noyce’s film leaves us with the message that school shootings are horrible. It’s a message that I’m confident the vast majority of us have already received even before watching Naomi Watts run for 80 minutes.

In Theaters, on Digital, and On Demand February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

BUTTER (2022)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Being a high school kid has always been challenging, and today’s added pressures of social media makes being an outlier almost unbearable at times. Writer-director Paul A Kaufman (in his feature film directing debut) has adapted the 2012 novel by Erin Jade Lange into a film that tackles several emotional hurdles, some of which are downright devastating.

Marshall (an excellent Alex Kirsting) is a morbidly obese high school student. He plays a mean jazz saxophone, yet yearns to be heard, seen, and accepted as a person, rather than as a target for the bullies who call him “Butter”. He weighs in at 423 pounds at the dietician’s office, and he’s catfishing Anna (McKaley Miller), his secret crush at school. Online, he’s posing as JP, a soccer star at a private school, and Anna confides secrets so that he can provide sage advice. At home, his mother (Mira Sorvino) enables him with her ‘food art’, while his dad (Brian Van Holt) barely acknowledges the presence of his fat son.

There are no heroes in this story, and despite being partially described as a comedy, this is in fact a dark commentary on how people behave. Butter is so fed up (unintended pun) and desperate to be seen, he devises a plan to go out with a bang. He creates a website and announces online that he will literally eat himself to death. Yep, suicide by smorgasbord at midnight on New Year’s Eve via live webcast. The reaction of his fellow students catches him off guard. Butter becomes popular overnight. People talk to him … while at the same time placing bets and serving up menu suggestions for the final feast.

Butter also provides the narration to his own story, and along the way we meet his doctors played by Ravi Patel and Annabeth Gish, and a supportive teacher played by Mykelti Williamson who encourages Butter to expand his musical talents. We note how attitudes change once communication and interactions replace withdrawal and ignoring. Some of the heavy topics handled here include bullying, suicide, depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, a lack of empathy and compassion, and body-shaming. It’s interesting to watch as the classmates and Butter get to know each other, how Anna shows there is more to her than a pretty face, and how Butter’s parents seem oblivious to their son’s internalized feelings. The film does get a little preachy near the end, but for the most part, it’s a pretty effective look at what it’s like being an outcast.

In theaters February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

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