It's not a secret to those that know me that I watch a LOT of movies, I generally raid the charity shops once a week, picking up any dvd that catches my eye. Unfortunately, this means I end up watching a lot of crap. My shelves are filled with awful movies, condemened forever to sit and gather dust. However, every so often I stumble across a real gem, a diamond in the rough that I know I'll end up watching again and again. I am delighted to say that Wristcutters is one of those movies.
It's not often you come across a film that feels fresh and original, and I honestly cant think of another film that tackles this subject matter in such a charming, entertaining way. The film stars Patrick Fugit (of Almost Famous fame) as Zia, a young man who kills himself in the opening scence of the film, only to find himself trapped in an afterlife where 'everything is the same, only slightly worse'. It is populated entirely by people who have killed themselves, and is a gloomy place indeed. The occupants of this realm have lost the ability to smile, no flowers grow and there are no stars in the sky. Just when Zia is preparing for an eternity of boredom and despair, he finds out his ex-girlfriend has also commited suidice, and sets off on a bizarre road trip to find her. Tagging along for the ride is Russian rock star Eugene (played by Shia Whigham, who would go on to play Sheriff Eli Thompson in Boardwalk Empire) and hitchiker Mikal (the sorley underrated Shannyn Sossamon).
I won't say anymore, since you'll all no doubt immediately find this movie and watch it as soon as you finish reading this won't you? Suffice to say it is an excellent piece of work, The cast is brilliant, with Tom Waits, Will Arnett and John Hawkes making up a great supporting cast. It tackles the subject matter of suicide very maturely, never judging or showing us any more than needed. In fact, although Zia and the others often talk about 'how' they killed themselves, they rarely touch on 'why'. They are far more focused on trying to make something with their new lives rather than dwelling on their old ones.
The music is great, with the awesome Gogol Bordello forming the heart of the soundtrack. There's also a few tracks from bands whose singers have commited suicide, a nice, if slightly morbid, touch. One thing that should be mentioned is that as the title suggests, there is a love story in this film. But dont let that put you off, even if romance films arent your cup of tea. Just go with it. Trust me, this movie will bring a smile to your face.
Final verdict: An absolute must see, if you want to see something original and entertaining I urge you to track this down. I've no problem at all giving this the full boat.
****
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