Good-Ass Movie Alert: Idiocracy
Hey you guys,
As I've written elsewhere to be a film critic is, for the most part, to exist in a state of perpetual disappointment. But every once in a while I'll go into a movie with low or no expectations and be completely blown away by it.
Such was the case with "Idiocracy". Being a big Mike "Beavis And Butthead/Office Space/King Of The Hill" Judge fan I'd been looking forward to this since I first head about it. But when Fox dumped the film into 125 theaters with no publicity push and no advance screenings for critics my expectations sunk accordingly.
Watching the movie my thinking quickly morphed from "Hey, this isn't so bad" to "Hey, this is actually pretty funny" to "wow, this is actually pretty fucking hilarious". Granted, "Idiocracy" isn't perfect. A voiceover narration reeks of post-production compromise, as does a happy ending that doesn't jibe at all with Judge's finely tuned fatalism.
But it's easy to overlook such minor flaws when you're laughing pretty much from start to finish. In the inimitable Mike Judge fashion "Idiocracy" is at once a devastating social satire and a gut-bustingly funny assortment of killer dick jokes. And, to trot out an arcane critical term "Idiocracy" is funny as shit in addition to being as close to a definitive satire of the dumbing down of America this side of, um, Beavis & Butthead. If nothing else "Idiocracy" features a photo-montage (featuring rap legend Scarface no less) that made me chuckle more in thirty seconds or so than two-thirds of the comedies I've seen this year have done in 90 minutes. How can you not like a comedy in which humanity's progress is documented through the exterior changes to a "Fuddruckers" over the centuries?
So here's my question for you, my beloved cyber-babies. What have you heard about this comical exercise in humorosity? Bad test screenings, a lengthy stint on the shelf and studio interference are pretty much a given but have you heard anything else 'bout this shockingly overlooked little gem?
For that matter, have any of you seen this film? (I know it's playing Austin and Chicago). What do you think? Am I full of shit or should anyone who enjoys Mike Judge, satire, laughing or staring at flickering images in the dark check out this red-hot joint? You might agree with me, you might not but I think people should be able to head down to the multiplex and see the film so they can decide for themselves whether "Idiocracy" is funny as shit or weak as fuck.
And what does it say about society that "Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector" enjoys a huge marketing push and national release while a timely, relevant comedy by one of America's most important satirists gets the most arbitrary, limited release imaginable?
Discuss.