FRANKIE GO BOOM (2012)

Written & Directed By: Jordan Roberts Cinematography By: Mattias Troelstrup Editor: Michael Hofacre Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O’Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth, Nora Dunn, Whitney Cummings, Sam Anderson, Jordan Black, Adam Pally Frank Bartlett has been tortured, embarrassed, and humiliated by his brother Bruce -- usually on film -- his entire life. Now that Bruce is finally off drugs and has turned his life around, things should be different. They are not. For a comedy the film feels Rarely funny. It seems to try and fill you with joy due to some kind of goofy charm that it thinks it has. It truly has very little. The films situations feel like sitcom level brought up to r-rated to make it a bit risqué. None of it feels real and it doesn’t have to. It feels false, plastic and impersonal. So that it is hard to grasp the film but feel anything. as none of the characters really endear themselves to the audience. The one character we are told to connect to is boring. The only person who really adds anything new and different to the film is Ron Perlman who is golden anytime he is on screen of course he is given such a interesting character that we have never seen him play before that he has something to play off. Which no one else really does. Chris Noth has fun with his character, but rarely has anything to do he just seems to be there for the plot to work, but isn’t needed too much. The film plays out pretty much in the same way there are some interesting characters in the film but they would work better in a film that needs them. Here it feels like they are all amped up with little to do. In a very thin story that if it had found some nuances could have been much richer but it feels so thin that you just follow. Not knowing what is going to happen next. Yet nothing too interesting happens. It feels like the characters are so outlandish that they know that they are in a comedy. instead of characters reacting to outlandish situations. It’s a shame as the cast is good filled with capable actors and comedic actors. Who feel wasted like Chris O’Dowd and Lizzy Caplan. This is the first time I have felt embarrassed for lizzy caplan being in a film. She seems to make the best of it and suffer through it with a smile. I was expecting more considering the plot and the cast. This felt so amateur. Like the filmmakers weren’t worried about the actual film. They figured they had the talent who would fill in any blanks that were felt. I won’t lie the film did make me laugh a few times, but not enough to save the whole endeavor. The film has way too much going on that it doesn’t need. GRADE: D+