Remarkable Power (2008) User Reviews

A reasonably good indy film with some big name actors that had nothing better to do.

[garyvanhorn · 6/10 · 11 January 2011]

Remarkable Power is an interesting indie film that brings together several very disparate stories and neatly ties them together for the climax. Through most of the film it felt like I was watching two movies, most of the stories come together in two separate arcs early on but do not intersect until the end. In retrospect I really should have figured out what was happening sooner, but I was a little slow on this one.

Kevin Nealon plays an aging late night talk show host who is about to be canned by the network, his wife is having an affair, and he knows about it because he has hired a Private Investigator (Tom Arnold) to follow her around. The second storyline involves a burnout loser (Evan Peters) who meets a failed actor (Kip Pardue) that happens to be in a self help video he purchased while stoned late at night. There is a fight, someone dies, a girl shows up, drug dealers are looking for money, and Russian mafia are looking for a body. As I said, several stories that are seemingly independent come together in a clever way. If you have a free space in your Netflix queue fill it with Remarkable Power, it's a good wast of time.

A Little Silly But Still Entertaining

[GlenjaminX · 5/10 · 27 October 2019]

A lot of notable performers took part in this black comedy, and overall I'd say it worked. I especially liked Tom Arnold's character. For the most part the story moved along nicely and there were a couple of surprises. Not a big budget production, but it didn't pretend to be. I loved that the movie ended with a song by Public Image Limited, and I enjoyed the film.

Remarkably AWESOME!

[rooprect · 8/10 · 16 March 2012]

I can't believe I almost passed on this gem because of its pathetic IMDb rating (5.2), but something about the plot sounded interesting so I had to see for myself.

Popped it in the DVD player figuring I'd let it play in the background while I had a workout. I only got as far as 4 sit-ups before finding myself riveted to the screen (and it's not just because my sorry ass can do only 4 sit-ups). In the first 5 minutes, the movie teases us with a celebrity murder, a hot blonde caught on videotape doing nasty things, a hilariously bad self-help infomercial, and a stoner/loser kid who is obsessed with the aforementioned infomercial.

How do these seemingly random events come together? That, my friends, is why you must see this movie.

Told in a quirky non-linear way (jumping back & forth in time, place and narrator's perspective), the film immediately presents itself as a puzzle that we're supposed to solve. It's extremely economical; not a single minute is wasted, just like a good whodunnit should be. You'd think this would sacrifice character development, but on the contrary, the acting is so excellent that you immediately know & understand each character from their first minute on screen. Relying on this, the director doesn't need to bore us with unnecessary backstories and contrived dialogue. Instead we are thrown right into the mix and forced to figure out who's who & what's what (just like our hero in the movie, the stoner/loser kid from Milwaukee who is suddenly thrown into the most bizarre string of events ever imaginable, including, but not limited to: coked-up knife salesmen, cute porn stars, Jewish mobsters, kosher fried chicken, cops in Batman/Robin suits, and maybe even a zombie visitation or two).

If it sounds weird, you better strap on your crazy hat, sister, cos it gets WEIRDER.

The brand of humour is low-key but hilarious. It reminded me of director Jim Jarmusch ("Coffee & Cigaretters", "Night on Earth", "Ghost Dog") and the funny side of Wim Wenders ("Million Dollar Hotel") with maybe a little bit of Vincent Gallo's bizarre sarcasm ("Buffalo 66").

The presentation made me think of the classics "Pulp Fiction", "Suicide Kings" and an obscure yet awesome Japanese film "Summer Time Machine Blues". These films are told in cryptic fragments, seemingly unrelated, but if you're paying attention you'll be rewarded with a grand epiphany at the end when everything comes together. It's downright symphonic.

Which brings me to my next bit of praise: amazing soundtrack! We get bits of the old school stuff from Judas Priest, Depeche Mode, Winger, and the recurring themesong: that classic groove from 1970, "Look-Ka Py Py" by The Meters (go to YouTube & check it out if you don't recognize the title).

If you like quirky, cleverly-written, dark comedies with lovable oddball characters, you definitely need to check this out. As always, don't put too much stock in IMDb's ratings. See for yourself.

Well I'd better get back to doing my sit-ups. Where was I? Oh yeah... 97...98...99...

Really good movie

[jfoos-87140 · 10/10 · 23 July 2019]

I was really surprised how good this movie was when I watched it on Amazon. For a couple bucks it was well worth it. Not sure why some of the reviews are hating so much. It was funny! Had good actors and the plot was really cool. I was not expecting an oscar winner and it really surprised me. Great movie.

A pothead, a photographer, a P.I., a talk show host, an actor, a model, a porn star, a Jewish gangster, and the Russian Mob all seek one thing... Money.

[filmbuffks · 11 October 2011]

Quirky characters in eccentric intertwining story lines that delivers a near Elmore Leonard- ish type of flick (Get Shorty, Out of Sight, etc.). A pothead, a photographer, a P.I., a talk show host, an actor, a model, a porn star, a Jewish gangster, and the Russian Mob all seek one thing... Money. Top notch acting from notable talent and brand new faces that are sure to appear in future films. The directing and cinematography was the film's only lackluster quality, but for novice filmmaker's, a great first step into feature films. I highly recommend this movie. Evan Peters is a stroke of genius, and occasionally, strokes a genius. Be on the look out for future performances from this kid.

Funny and intricate indie

[marceldorian · 9/10 · 19 September 2023]

This wild mash of a film follows several timelines (a revenge plot masterminded by a TV host, a cheating wife, a chance meeting between a pothead and a hustlering actor, some Russian mobsters looking for a stiff, a porn star and a private investigatior playedby the always intriguing Tom Arnold). If you find this puzzling, well it's because it is. These wild characters are all on a crash course and when the stories collide we are offered a hell of a climax.

This is dark comedy at it's best with solid acting, good pacing, great dialogue and an awesome soundtrack.

It's the perfect movie for a fun night in.

Impressive Dark Comedy

[kjs1144 · 9/10 · 15 September 2023]

Get Back Jack is a dark comedy on an epic scale. Set in Los Angeles, it makes use of many different locations and neighborhoods throughout the city. The story unfolds in a way you don't expect, centered on a late night talk show host (a great performance by Kevin Nealon), then expanding to many different characters in a complicated plot. I liked the structure of the chronology. And there were some very unique moments, such as the scene in the batting cage. Overall I thought the script and the editing were excellent. The directing was good and the acting was solid by the whole cast. If you're looking for an epic dark comedy, check this movie out!

A Dark Comedy Worth Watching

[StarEterLotus · 9/10 · 24 March 2013]

A film that seems to be passed up and ignore, Remarkable Power is a low key genius piece of comedy. This film caught my eye at the local pawn shop and I couldn't seem to ignore it, even though I kept telling myself it looked like junk. However, with a stunning cast that features one of the best stand-up comedians, Christopher Tidus, and up and coming, rising American Horror Story star, Evan Peters, this is not a piece of junk. The film has a variety of scenarios and plots, each character has an obstacle to overcome and each has a not so responsible solution. Even though the other actors seem to have more credit as the film's main stars, Peters certainly is the most focused on and prominent character as the stoner nobody with a dream of remarkable power. He gets caught in a situation where he is going to be killed by an infomercial star he admires when he becomes the killer in a freak accident. It all unwinds from there with two wannabe sleuths (one of which an actress I recall from a favorite of mine, Brick), some Jewish mafia (?), and Christopher Tidus as the angel/devil over the shoulder role through Peter's imagination. The supposed "main" plot that acts as a side plot is that of a television anchor man, Tom Arnold, of whom has been given evidence of his wife's affair with a famous sportsman. He spends most of the film coming up with a way to get his revenge. The stories do intertwine and the ending is quite clever. Dark, witty, and with quirky characters, this film really is worth seeing.

Entertaining Comedy with Kevin Nealon and Tom Arnold

[mwcurran · 10/10 · 17 November 2023]

Get Back Jack! (aka Remarkable Power!) starring Evan Peters, Kevin Nealon and Tom Arnold. This film was an official selection at over 40 international film festivals winning several awards, including: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Feature. Lots of great memorable songs. I ENJOYED this film not only for the camera work but for the acting and the outstanding direction. It was great to see these well known stars in a small indie film. More films like this should be given a chance to shine despite the trolls which always seem to attack small films. Well worth the watch. I loved it!