More black comedy than thriller, this film has Bill Oberst, Jr. doing what we'd all like to do to all those annoying asshats we encounter in our daily lives...kill them. Under doctor's orders to reduce his blood pressure following a heart attack, Bill (with the help of his chemist best friend Stan) eliminates those human stresses that plague him. Hot on his trail is an unconventional detective (Armand Assante) who forces these amateur serial killers to devise an ingenious endgame. The plot and pacing is solid but is somewhat weakened by stilted dialogue and occasional uneven acting. Oberst and Assante do well enough to smooth over these pitfalls, though. If I'm honest, I recommend this movie based on one incredible scene. It's the one where Assante takes Bill for a midnight ride in his ice cream truck (don't ask). The dynamic between these two is electric, even mesmerizing. The other scene that stands out is near the beginning when Bill chases an annoying asshat and then witnesses the asshat get creamed by a truck. The resulting smile on Bill's face is one of childlike joy that is both beautiful and utterly terrifying. The film is a about 10 minutes too long but is still worth your time. As a postscript, I'd like to lobby for Oberst to do more comedy. He's good at it.
Review of Stressed to Kill
