8/10
Incredibly underrated gem. Bound to be a classic.
27 January 2011
I stumbled upon this movie quite by accident, and am I ever glad I did. I can not heap enough praise upon it. Everything about it appeals to me. Mike O'Connell is absolutely hilarious in his portrayal of the hapless K.Roth Binew, who's last day of life the film chronicles. We journey with K. Roth and his biographer/chauffeur/poet Mills Joaquin (played my Jesse Eisenberg) as he attempts to invite all who have touched his life to his 'Living Wake', to be held later that evening. Aside from a plot that is well rounded and fulfilling, the dialogue is both at times snappy and ridiculously over dramatic. O'Connell's facial expressions and mannerisms alone warrant a viewing. However, what I enjoyed most about this movie was everything going on in the background. While Binew's world is populated by people and places that at first seem familiar to us, upon closer inspection we see that his world has taken on a somewhat unreal, otherworldly twist. The costumes, the props, the lighting - even the hand painted signs all lend to a magical feeling that permeates the film. Even the humble score is beautiful, particularly the piece playing in the final scene. As of this writing, the film is available for free on Hulu, and I highly recommend a viewing. I, for one, having now seen it, will attempt to find a DVD copy for purchase. It's really that good.

7.5/10
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