THE FOOT FIST WAY is the kind of film that invites us to spend an hour and a half laughing at, not with, its characters as they endure one uncomfortable and embarrassing situation after another.
I found it to be mean-spirited, hateful, and accusatory. I shut it off after forty-five minutes of stone-faced, arms folded indignation. I can’t imagine why anyone would write, direct, produce, or star in this picture, and I can’t imagine why anyone would recommend it to anyone else, unless they didn’t like their target.
Avoid this film. The world is a worse place for its existence.
4 comments:
Man, I have to say as a preface, that I don't really disagree with anything you said in your judgment of this movie. That being said, I think the reason a lot of the comedy scene loves this movie, and people who are big into the alt-comedy scene, is because it's a movie that has the hallmarks of every conventional movie that it seems to resemble, but at every point where it should take the predictable route, it takes the dark, sick, sadistic turn that just surprised the hell out of me and had me giggling with kinda twisted glee. I'm not saying that redeems it, but for me, at least, I was loving it every step of the way BECAUSE it was so despicable.
When I was watching it, I thought of the same logic that Feig and co. have said they aimed for with Freaks and Geeks, they never wanted their characters in that show to have a big victory, and in a lot of instances, Feig wanted them to have moments where reality slapped them back down to earth. I feel like FFW just stretches that to the breaking point, instead of not giving the characters a victory, it actually tries to tear them down, and in the end, that's either horrifying, or funny, or a bit of both.
I'm surprised at the vast extreme reactions this movie seems to get. I've only heard people who love it or hate it. No in between.
I went back and watched the rest of the movie, and I'm sorry to report that it doesn't get any better.
It keeps taking those dark, sick, sadistic turns, and watching them is about as much fun as watching kittens die.
Now that you mention it, I'm the lone guy on Earth who doesn't like Freaks and Geeks, either. I couldn't even get through the pilot, as the program made me so uncomfortable that I was squirming on my couch.
HAHA, damn it. I almost commented AGAIN to tell you that you probably should NOT finish the movie, as it only gets worse and worse.
Admittedly, I truly believe there are a lot of people who aren't comfortable enough to say that they don't like Freaks and Geeks, because it's a show that SHOULD NOT connect with everyone, but I think everyone in a certain age group feels like they HAVE to say they love it for cred.
When I originally reviewed Foot Fist way for our site, the first line I said that this movie will either work for you or it won't. And I TOTALLY understand why people would hate it.
F&G made me relive everything I hated about high school, and didn't let me relive anything I liked.
Part of my reaction is my general approach to comedy. I just don't care for the comedy of discomfort. I squirm, rather than laugh.
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