Christian Slater has the worst taste in films of almost anyone (except Charlie Sheen). It’s through film choice alone that’s had him relegated to Hollywood B-movie hell. After Heathers and Pump Up The Volume you’d have to assume he either developed a significant crack cocaine habit, decided he hated the business or was more concerned with renovating his mansion than appearing in decent film. Yet in 2007 something wonderful happened, he found this film. Cast against type, nervous with thinning hair, an unhinged office worker whose fish talk to him, this is Slater’s Taxi Driver, his Falling Down. And he’s incredible like we always knew he could be if he didn’t feel the need to ape Jack Nicholson. Disrespected by his colleagues Bob (Slater) fantasises about going on a murderous rampage, yet on the day he finally decides to open fire, he is beaten to the punch by another disgruntled employee. When Bob inadvertently saves the day everything changes. He is promoted to a high paying position where he doesn’t need to do anything by a grateful management and he finds love with the gorgeous victim of the shooting. But something is wrong, Bob has everything he has ever wanted but is still not coping so well. This is very clever filmmaking that treads and blurs the line between Bob’s fantasy world and reality with a mischievous glee. It was written and directed by Frank Cappello who’s biggest claim to fame prior to this was as a writer of the Keanu Reeves turkey Constantine and from directing a couple of b graders No Way out and American Yakuza in the early 90’s. He was a Quiet Man puts both Cappello and Slater back on the map. There’s also a great supporting cast including William H Macy and Elisha Cuthbert in this very subversive inventive and unpredictable black comedy.
Extra Features:
Nothing.
-Bob Baker Fish
