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A missed opportunity. | Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Film Festival
One of the reasons I expect that I will never tire of going to the movies is that even when you think you know what you are going to get, you can still be surprised. I remember being dragged to see Galaxy Quest at the Cinerama Dome. Honestly, the only reason I went was because it was at the Cinerama Dome -- one of the great movie theaters on the planet. As for the film, I expected nothing. I mean, after all, it starred Tim Allen! Tim Allen? Pass. Naturally, I ended up loving the film and have seen it at least twenty times since.
Of course, surprises aren't always positive. When I originally saw the schedule for the Los Angeles Film Festival, Passenger Side was one of the films that stuck out as a must-see. For me at least, it had everything going for it: it was a cheap indie with an open-ended premise that offered numerous story directions and, most importantly, it starred one of my favorite lesser-known actors, Adam Scott. As I sat in the Regent waiting for it to start, I was honestly excited. Unfortunately, that excitement ended almost instantly.
Too on the nose. | Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Film Festival
My least favorite device in a film is the constantly ringing telephone. It's such a cheap way to aggravate the audience that I turn off immediately when the director presents it. This is how Passenger Side begins: with a ringing telephone that won't fucking stop. Of course, that's not enough to ruin a film for me, but it certainly fouled my mood. The story proper would only poison it further. Scott plays the mostly normal brother of your garden-variety, former drug-addict fuck-up. Naturally, he's the one who's calling at the first crack of morning.
From there the premise of the film lifts off very quickly. Basically, Scott is tasked with driving his estranged brother around town on a yet unspecified mission. It's station-to-station storytelling at it's least imaginative. Initially, Scott thinks his brother is just fishing around for a working drug connection, but eventually we learn that the brother is looking for the love of his life so that he can rescue her from the hell of addiction. At least that's what he says. Scott's character is naturally suspicious and, yet, on (and on and on) they go.
There's no point in getting any further into the specifics of the story since, frankly, the plot of the film isn't what the film is about anyway. It's about the relationship of these two brothers and how that relationship is going to work going forward. Scott is, as expected, superb in delivering the material that he's given, but the material really lacks in both invention and reality. You know those movies where characters talk in dialogue so arch and precious and obviously scripted that you immediately disconnect from the film? That's Passenger Side.
It's supposed to funny and wry, but mostly it's just annoying. Some people might argue that it's incredibly difficult to stage a film where the only thing that's happening is two characters talking to each other, but that's exactly what a film like Humpday does and it does so brilliantly. Humor works best when it doesn't derive purely from language; situation is a necessary component and that's where Passenger Side fails. There's nothing inherently compelling about a drive around Los Angeles with two disappointed, depressed slackers.
It sort of bothers me to have to so thoroughly pan a film like Passenger Side. I admire the effort of all involved since mounting a cheap indie is a monumental effort of will and belief. And, honestly, we need more movies like this, not less. However, I can't recommend this film to anyone in search of a good festival film. That said, put the name Adam Scott on your radar. Many of you will know him from his surreally brilliant turn as Derek in last year's Step Brothers. I'll keep looking for his films, hoping that Passenger Side was just a bad blip.
Passenger Side screens for a final time on Thursday at 4:30 pm at the Landmark Theater. Tickets are $12 and are still available.
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Thanks for the review. I was going to see this next week, but I think I'll pass.
I just saw "In The Loop" earlier this evening. That was the funniest, most cynical movie I've seen in a long time. I hope you guys will review it.
Cheers!
see my comment below
Did we see the same movie??? I have NEVER disagreed with a review as much as I have with this one. I thought Passenger Side was a terrific film -- and I would recommend it highly. Best thing I've seen at the LA film festival so far: funny, smart, awesome acting, awesome music...
Filmcritic1105 --
What can I say? I really wanted to like this movie. I walked into it expecting to like it. It just never felt genuine to me which is a killer in a film like this. It's almost entirely dialogue-driven, and the dialogue just sounded phony to me -- too overwrought, too clever, almost too perfectly crafted and modulated. I am glad you liked it, though. As I mentioned in my review, we do need more movies like this. Passenger Side just didn't work for me.
As for In the Loop, I was at the same screening as you, Sithandra! Loved it! The actor who played Malcolm Tucker was beyond brilliant. Review coming tomorrow.
Josh,
If you could please help me remember one of Malcolm Tucker's expletive-laced rants (I know there were way too many to count, but this one was killer!).
Malcolm Tucker was grilling Toby about the leaked report, and he said something to the effect of "...I am the prince of media darkness and I will marshal all of the dark forces of media the down on you, so that it will assist you in your eventual suicide..."
I was howling so loudly along with everyone else in the theater, that I can't remember exactly what he said!
The Brits really put Americans to shame when it comes to comedy -- the jokes come with such speed, and since you're trying to understand the accent (Malcolm Tucker was Scottish, right?) you end up missing so much.
I don't see how this movie ever got distribution because it is way too cynical about the pettiness of people who are supposed to be our 'best and brightest', present and future leadership both here in the US and in the UK.
Oh, I loved this move! It was crazy and funny but it has a narrow appeal: people have really moved on now that we have a new team on board in the White House and they really don't care about how we got into the Iraq war for real -- much less this fictional movie, no matter how brilliant it is.
Cheers!
hey josh, i appreciate your POV on the film. It was not a perfect film, but i applaud the writer for crafting such witty dialogue and the great performances of the 2 leads. As a reference, check out these reviews for an alternate perspective. I am in no way part of the film, so please don't take this as a shill in any way. i am an aspiring screenwriter in LA.
http://www.laweekly.com/2009-06-18/film-tv/los-angeles-film-festival-reviews-a-to-z/5
http://livingincinema.com/2009/06/20/laff-09-review-passenger-side/
http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Entertainment/cat_index_la_events/Passenger_Side_Film_Review_-_an_Official_Selection_of_the_2009_Los_Angeles_Film_Festival.php
The phone is supposed to be grating on the viewer, much as it is the lead character at the start of the film.
I thought Passenger Side was a very smart, sweet indie film. There were enough genuine belly laughs to keep the viewer engaged just when you thought the premise of just driving around had been exhausted.
Oh, I agree with you about the phone. I just find it a very unimaginative to get the audience on edge. There are all sorts of ways to affect an audience. I prefer a cinematic solution to something as banal as the constantly ringing phone.
Also -- to all those who enjoyed Passenger Side -- I highly recommend going to see Humpday tomorrow at 4:45 at the Landmark. It's made in a similar vein to Passenger Side (e.g. cheap indie, actors mostly just talking, mumblecore-ish), but I think it's a far superior effort. Lynn Shelton is a great director and Josh Leonard is unbelievably great.