The Beta Test (Jim Cummings)

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Out tomorrow on VOD, apparently. Yay!


If you don't know Jim Cummings he directed, wrote, and starred in both Thunder Road and more recently The Wolf of Snow Hollow. He essentially plays the same insecure small-town cop in both, in a sort of Danny McBride-esque "he's always kind of the same character, and the character essentially is the show/movie" situation.

Anyway, I'm a huge fan and really excited to watch this. I hope he branches out...but not too much. I could watch this schtick for a long time and not get tired of it.



this was really funny. i hadn’t see any of cummings’ other stuff so it might seem familiar to cummheads, but i laughed a lot. the way the mystery resolves is a bit of a letdown but it’s a very fun ride.
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I think Cummings is the "if you like any of their stuff you'll like all their stuff" kinda dude. Highly recommend his other two films, mentioned in the OP. Wolf Hollow is more fun and better made (duh, it's his second feature and not his first), but the performance in Thunder Road is better.

If I'm remembering right, the opening scene of Thunder Road was a short film unto itself that he expanded into the whole film, and it's probably the highlight of either feature. And it's a perfect test for his style. I tell people to just watch the first scene of his first film and you'll know from that alone if he's for you.



Anyway, I'm a huge fan and really excited to watch this. I hope he branches out...but not too much. I could watch this schtick for a long time and not get tired of it.
Haven't seen Beta Test yet, but I think Thunder Road is a genuinely Great Film (as in both times I've watched it I have laughed and cried and felt lots of feelings), and Wolf of Snow Hollow is really good as well.

Just watching the trailer made me laugh and feel incredibly uncomfortable at the same time, so I am VERY excited for it. His first two films did such a great job of showing someone who is out of line, but also sympathetic. This film seems like the main character is more of an out-and-out not good guy, so that'll be interesting to see.

There's a pretty good interview with him over on the AVClub about the film.



If I'm remembering right, the opening scene of Thunder Road was a short film unto itself that he expanded into the whole film, and it's probably the highlight of either feature. And it's a perfect test for his style. I tell people to just watch the first scene of his first film and you'll know from that alone if he's for you.
Thunder Road has four highlights for me:

1) A great scene which is the opening scene (as you mention). I actually had to fast-forward it the first time I watched it because I couldn't handle it. I watched it in full the second time.

2) THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE! While it is over the top, it is also so accurate. Throwing shade at the other parent. Making excuses (while claiming not to make excuses) for a child's misbehavior. The overly formal language.

3) The scene where he fights with his partner outside of the police station and then
WARNING: spoilers below
he looks down and realizes that he's pulled his gun
. It is such a great and unexpected moment.

4) The part toward the end where (MAJOR SPOILERS)
WARNING: spoilers below
he has his "conversation" with his daughter's mother. It's funny and upsetting and so incredibly acted. A student in our grade unfortunately just lost his mother--all we know is "she was found dead"--and this scene was weirdly the first thing I thought of. (I don't know if she overdosed, but there is a lot of meth and opioid abuse in my community).



@Takoma11, who if I recall correctly is a full...Cummingshead? No I don't like that. Whatever. Someone else who really likes this guy.
I'm a fan. I've liked everything I've seen from him. He just has this charisma that you can't learn. And he can really write a script.