THE CHUMSCRUBBER

The problem with being late for movie club emails is that I have pretty much forgotten the movie we saw last week... maybe that's a good thing, maybe it just proves my sieve for a memory..

"sorry your name was?"

"Matt"

"oh...and why did I wake up next to you?"

"cause I'm your boyfriend"

"oh right yeah OK... how long..."

"11 months."

"And do I..."

"do this every morning...yes."

"OK cool. love you!"

liddle insight into my private life... now onto the review

OK so it was The Chumscrubber that we saw. There are similarities to Donny Darko but its not sci fi...I guess its a similar mood...actually its the main character who is that angst ridden smarter than everyone else, moody, brooding, flawed, not necessarily likable but one can relate to type character which is emerging from these semi-teen weirdo moo-fies that is the similarity between the two films. I can only say this in retrospect - I saw both films without knowing much about them so I guess that gives me some perspective - but Donny Darko is more of a teen film than The Chumscrubber...The chumscrubber's adult character's - I would argue - are much deeper and interesting to watch than the teen characters and the adult characters of Donny Darko (except of course the appalling but sexy actress Drew Barrymore who is forgiven for most things for her east to west USA drug bender when she was 12 years old...COOLEST. CHICK. EVA.

Its a weird one The Chumscrubber, lots of strange things happen in a Prozac fuelled suburb. Its a myriad of character stories which are interwoven and connected through, and to, the main character whose name has completely escaped me. At the end of the film I had to decide whether I liked it or not it doesn't tell you what you should think, what it was trying to say or why the film even existed (possibly another similarity with Donny Darko). I think I choose to like it. There were some really great moments in the films and the writing was also very good. Most of the older actors were very great digging there teeth into some interesting characterisations that pretty much hit the mark. The younger actors, however, although they were strong actors I think they were misdirected in some parts choosing not so subtle or intricate approaches to some scenes, instead falling back on some stereotypical performances. there is also a pretty boring ending to the 'love story', which feels a little executive producer influenced, but as a whole it is worth a look. It feels a little longer than it actually is but that is due to how much narrative information they pump into one movie which is never confusing but enjoyable in its complexity...