BAGHEAD (2008)

Directed By: Mark Duplass & Jay Duplass Written By: Mark Duplass & Jay Duplass Created By: John E. Bryant Cinematography By: Jay Duplass Editor: Jay Deuby Cast: Steve Zissis, Ross Partridge, Greta Gerwig, Elise Muller Four struggling actors retreat to a cabin in Big Bear, California in order to write a screenplay that will make them all stars. Problem is: What happens when their story idea -- a horror flick about a group of friends tormented by a villain with a bag over his head -- starts to come true? Finally a mumblecore film i can actually get into. It helps that this one has a beginning, middle and end. It doesn’t wander off it’s subject with endless scenes of nothing interesting really happening. This film still has improvisational feel, Vapid characters and overlapping dialogue. A low budget that seems like it was made for $1000 or less. The directors Jay and mark Duplass’s films are different then other mumblecore movies because in their process. There is a actual script, but on the day they let the actors create their characters and the emotional truth of the characters and as long as they hit certain points story-wise and scene-wise it’s ok if they go off script. The films they make also seem to have a lot more humor that turns into drama also. I enjoyed this film, surprisingly. At first the film is funny. Then becomes a relationship drama, then morphed into a horror film…a bit. Unlike most mumblecore movies which seem aimless and only seem to be made to employ friends and family show surprisingly contemplating life and each seems to involve a gimmick. Like The main character lives in a van or the film revolves around a woman who is the man in her relationships and the men act like women and plenty of scenes that don’t advance the story at all, but supposedly help define the characters. The films also constantly have an utter lack of minorities except for Asians time to time usually female. Why is there no Hispanic or African-American Mumblecore film? I am not blaming the movement exclusively for this, But if it is all about experimentation and diversity it would be nice to see more of the later. As these type of films seem to be the next New Wave. This film shows discipline and talent. What can be done with a little money and a good imagination. Despite the ending. A good Rental. GRADE: C+