This moves at a clip unbelievable. Not unrelated, I'd have to believe, is Kevin Smith's role as editor -- like Steven Soderbergh (whose done plenty of his own films, under a pseudonym), the Coens (under the name "Roderick Jaynes"), John Sayles, and a surprising number more-than-you'd-think of directors, this seems to put more of the film "in hand."
And how!
In this case, Smith eschews humor almost (but not quite) entirely; even the jokes in the film are for the characters to respond to ("Zing!") without leaving room for the audience to respond as such. The pace is breathless without losing the viewer, contemporary without being preachy or pedantic, and draws off recent events (through the '90s) as though our sense of the world is viewed differently, altered and updated without parroting or mimicking said events ... you'll just have to see it for yourself!
People who keep up with current events will be rewarded -- particularly since this means getting a sense of the *beating pulse* of the humans behind the actions, not just some ideological stance. John Goodman's given more to do than in most (non-Coens) films you've seen him in lately, and he relishes and runs with it.
Is this movie funny, clever, scary, unsettling? You betcha!
From Kevin Smith? Holy s***!
(Where's the next one, referred to in the end credits? Sadly, this one went over too poorly to merit a pick-up ... so far!)
And how!
In this case, Smith eschews humor almost (but not quite) entirely; even the jokes in the film are for the characters to respond to ("Zing!") without leaving room for the audience to respond as such. The pace is breathless without losing the viewer, contemporary without being preachy or pedantic, and draws off recent events (through the '90s) as though our sense of the world is viewed differently, altered and updated without parroting or mimicking said events ... you'll just have to see it for yourself!
People who keep up with current events will be rewarded -- particularly since this means getting a sense of the *beating pulse* of the humans behind the actions, not just some ideological stance. John Goodman's given more to do than in most (non-Coens) films you've seen him in lately, and he relishes and runs with it.
Is this movie funny, clever, scary, unsettling? You betcha!
From Kevin Smith? Holy s***!
(Where's the next one, referred to in the end credits? Sadly, this one went over too poorly to merit a pick-up ... so far!)