Reviews

What can you say about a movie that features Matthew McConaughey playing a surfer/stoner, with Woody Harrelson as his sidekick, that's barely able to muster a single laugh in 90 minutes? About all you can say is that someone dropped the ball and that someone would have to be first time feature filmmaker S.R. Bindler. Instead of clever dialogue and an engaging plot, we are treated to lots of "stoner lingo," tight shots of girls' asses, and plenty of topless scenes thrown in for good measure. In other words, the sort of movie a 17-year-old kid would make with his camcorder and a couple of buddies. Remember those Burt Reynolds movies in the 70's that basically had no plot but gave Burt an excuse to make a film with his pals? This is Matthew McConaughey's homage to those. We're even treated to a cameo by Willie Nelson in a role that serves no purpose other than as an excuse to have him in the movie. On a positive note, "Surfer, Dude" makes "Sahara" look like Oscar material.

I had the privilege of viewing "Grindhouse" twice at the Austin premiere and I must say, it's one of the funniest, most repulsive, irreverent, and off-the-wall movies I've ever seen! It's actually two movies: Rodriguez's bizarre zombie movie homage "Planet Terror," and Tarantino's crazy high-speed chase flick, "Death Proof." Being 42, I can remember going to movies as a kid and seeing crazy trailers, usually screenings at drive-ins for movies like "Grizzly", "I Spit On Your Grave", "Zardoz," or other B- movies... much like the Rodriguez/Tarantino double feature. Only "Grindhouse" is both a salute to these ridiculous movies as well as a parody. One of the best and funniest scenes is at the climax of a sex scene in "Planet Terror." Suddenly the film begins to mess up in the projector, then it begins to burn... followed by an apology from the theater management. When the movie resumes, it's clear that a whole section is missing and the audience is left wondering what else happened... Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" is a non-stop adrenalin rush of the grotesque, absurd, and everything in between while Tarantino's "Death Proof" is more 'Tarantino' with long scenes of ridiculous dialog and less of the grotesque elements of the typical "Grindhouse" genre. In the final moments of the segment, however, it transforms into an adrenalin rushing revenge flick, replete with crazy, high-speed chase scenes. Kurt Russell's performance as a psychotic, stunt-car driver is classic! Not for the faint of heart, "Grindhouse" makes "Sin City" look like "The Sound of Music," but it's so funny (complete with movie trailers that echo back to that unique time of cheesy, exploitive, cinematic history) that the violence (and there is A LOT of it!) is absolutely cartoon-like. If you are too young to have any knowledge of this genre of movies, you might be a bit confused (or appalled), but otherwise it's an entertaining roller coaster ride through a film-making period that's been all but forgotten.

Gretchen tells the story of 17-year-old Gretchen Finkle (Courtney Davis), an awkward high school girl who has an infatuation with bad boy Ricky Marichino (John Merriman). One night Gretchen's mother finds Ricky in Gretchen's room and forbids Gretchen from ever seeing him again. Gretchen's infatuation with Ricky only seems to grow, but when she spies Ricky making out with another girl, she soon sinks into depression until she finally punches the girl in the eye.

This violent outburst lands her in a home for emotionally unstable teens where, again, she falls for another bad boy, Nick Rangoon (Macon Blair). Nick and Gretchen escape the home together one night, but the "romance" of being on the lamb with him wears off fast. She then decides to seek out her father (Stephen Root), who had abandoned the family when Gretchen was very young. But dear old' dad, who works a very unglamorous job at a greasy hamburger joint, isn't very excited about being a family man again, so he takes off in the night, leaving Gretchen despondent and ready to head back to the troubled teens home. When she finally "graduates" from the home for troubled teens, she heads back to her old school where she's ready to face her fears and overcome her obsession with Ricky Marichino.

The movie is often very funny, if a little slow in places. The whole situation of running away from the home with Nick drags on a bit, although one of the funniest scenes in the movie, a visit to a rather unspectacular "rave," occurs during this episode. And seeking out the dad and moving in with him almost seemed out of place, but Stephen Root's performance is so hilarious that it would be a shame if it wasn't there. Also, the dad bears a striking resemblance to Ricky and Nick, leading us to conclude that Gretchen's quest for "true love" really has more to do with a desire to connect with her missing father.

Courtney Davis nails the performance of an awkward and socially confused 17-year-old girl (but truthfully, she doesn't look 17). Although Gretchen desires to be "bad," she cannot escape her innate innocence, much like Toni Collette's character in Clockwatchers. John Merriman and Macon Blair are equally perfect as angst-ridden bad boy wannabees.

Stephen Root, who gave us the bizarre "Milton" character of Office Space, is even stranger and funnier in Gretchen. Gretchen's futile attempts to communicate with him are among the most hilarious moments in the movie.

Writer/director Steve Collins has delivered a very funny and poignant slice of teen life in this his first feature film. It will be interesting to see what follows for all the talented folks associated with this film.