Dirt

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Aslanna
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Dirt

Post by Aslanna »

Or 'Dumber Than Dirt' depending on where you read. Fortunately the movie is better than the title.

Anyway, it's a quirky independent comedy that was released in 2001 but just came out on DVD last week. Apparently there are a few movies titled 'Dirt' so it's this one: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261652/

As usual since I suck at reviews I'll just copy someone elses.
This winning indie comedy that deftly mixes Coen Brothers-style sensibilities with overtones of "Forrest Gump" and "Raising Arizona" brings the "lovable losers" genre to new heights with its quirky yet mainstream appeal. This is exactly the sort of witty screwball comedy that major studios should be falling all over themselves to promote, and that movie audiences would love if only they got more of a chance to see it.

Junior (Michael Covert) and Scooter (Trace Fraim), two bone-stupid mama's boys, have just buried their mother and are completely without a clue as to what to do with themselves. They hit on the idea of first hiring--and, when that doesn't work out, kidnapping--a new woman to take care of them. From this ingenious if sexist premise (helped by the duo's They Might Be Giants-ish look and style), the plot takes a number of wild and unpredictable turns from one delightful scenario to the next. The anti-hero aspects of the characters are nicely blunted by their combination of dumb luck, dumb looks and sweet natures. With a spurned husband/vengeful sheriff in hot pursuit, they leave a trail of cartoon violence and Zen moralizing in their laugh-filled wake.

Though borrowing heavily from avant-garde comedy filmmakers such as the aforementioned Coens (with more than a touch of John Waters thrown in), the film succeeds in developing a style of its own, and Covert, Fraim and Tara Chocol (playing the kidnap "victim" Dede, who is only too happy to leave her old life behind) waste no time winning over crowds of all ages. It's frustrating that a comedy of this caliber will never get the distribution or promotion it deserves, because "Dirt" really pays off with a rich, inspired feel-good tale that "star vehicle" type comedies rarely achieve.

The ending is a little weak and (mostly) predictable but I'll give it an 8½ out of 10. Add it to your Netflix selection!
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