The movie has a beginning, a middle and an end...but not in that order. The filmmaker does not reveal much about the accident that starts the hero's journey until the end. It is necessary to make it through the whole picture to understand what he did that made him such a basket case, and, halfheartedly, looking to end his life. He tries to shoot himself in the bath tub and he tries to hang himself, but is interrupted by a taxi driver, who, for her own reasons, has taken an interest in him. Naturally, when she knocks, he answers with the noose still around his neck.
The story, of the last few years, is replayed in his head. From his failure in love to his failure in the accident he confronts the question of his own manhood and humanity. A minor subplot of sibling competition is explored and left unsatisfied, of parental differences also unsatisfied in a script by writer/director Emmanuel Shirinian in his first full-length film. I think he was not ready to take on this challenge...but in the future, who knows ?
That reads pretty good on paper and there is really no technical problems with the film or its cutting. It just did not do it for me. I liked the questions asked, but it did not sell me on the character of the hero/Abner (Michael D. Cohen). I found myself not caring about his story, in fact, he annoyed me. This is no reflection on Mr. Cohen as an actor. The character is just not likable. Outside of Mr. Cohen and a landlady/Ethel (Phyllis Ellis) who throws herself at Abner in a last ditch effort to get some comfort out of life that is not found at the bottom of a bottle, none of the other performances are note worthy.
It is advertised as a dark comedy, but although the subject matter is dark, the film is not dark and rarely funny.
I will give it four stars two for Michael D. Cohen, and two for Phyllis Ellis.
The story, of the last few years, is replayed in his head. From his failure in love to his failure in the accident he confronts the question of his own manhood and humanity. A minor subplot of sibling competition is explored and left unsatisfied, of parental differences also unsatisfied in a script by writer/director Emmanuel Shirinian in his first full-length film. I think he was not ready to take on this challenge...but in the future, who knows ?
That reads pretty good on paper and there is really no technical problems with the film or its cutting. It just did not do it for me. I liked the questions asked, but it did not sell me on the character of the hero/Abner (Michael D. Cohen). I found myself not caring about his story, in fact, he annoyed me. This is no reflection on Mr. Cohen as an actor. The character is just not likable. Outside of Mr. Cohen and a landlady/Ethel (Phyllis Ellis) who throws herself at Abner in a last ditch effort to get some comfort out of life that is not found at the bottom of a bottle, none of the other performances are note worthy.
It is advertised as a dark comedy, but although the subject matter is dark, the film is not dark and rarely funny.
I will give it four stars two for Michael D. Cohen, and two for Phyllis Ellis.