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Thunder Road, 2018
Jim Arnaud (Jim Cummings) is reeling from the loss of his mother and an impending divorce from his wife, Ros (Jocelyn DeBoer), with whom he shares custody of their daughter, Crystal (Kendal Farr). As Jim tries to put on a "everything is fine" attitude, the emotional pressure builds and builds and starts to come out in destructive and unpredictable ways.
My sister and I have been trying to set up a time to watch The Beta Test together, and she refers to it almost every time as "What's the name of that new movie? You know, from that guy who makes you laugh but also really uncomfortable?"
I really, really love this movie, and for many reasons.
What I like most about it is the way that it shows a man whose behavior and mannerisms are incredibly erratic. We have caught him as he's approaching rock bottom. But what we can infer about him is that at some point---most points---he has behaved in a way that has earned him loyalty and love from a range of people. He is a highly decorated officer, he has a good relationship with his sister, and he has an incredibly loyal friend in the form of his partner, Nate (Nican Robinson).
Jim is a character who clearly wants to do the right thing and wants to be a good father, but he just can't help getting in his own way. He is fixated on the way that he is perceived by others, and the pressure that he puts on himself is simply too much.
I also give this film like a whole half star for the sequence in which Jim attends a parent-teacher conference with his daughter's weary teacher (Macon Blair!!!). If you've ever wondered what parent-teacher conferences are like . . . . look no further. I watched this film with my sister and her husband, both of whom are teachers, and we were all howling with laughter. "Oh my god. Yes. Correct," was my brother-in-law's verdict.
I realize that enjoying this film really comes down to whether you are able to vibe with the very specific brand of borderline-cringe comedy that Cummings is laying down. (And just to be VERY clear, I absolutely do not mean that in a "Oh, you just don't get it" way at all---I just mean I think it's the kind of comedy that is very much a matter of taste). From the more outlandish funeral sequence or his breakdown outside the police station, to the disastrous conversation he has with the judge overseeing his custody dispute, you either peek through your hands in sympathy or you probably think "Why would I ever root for this goober?".
For me, it really works. Jim so clearly struggles with self-esteem. And he is such a try-hard. He reacts to any negative feedback with desperate attempts to get back into the good graces of anyone he might have offended. His all-in approach is clearly sincere, in its own way, but he has reached a point where it no longer does him any favors.
And finally, I think that the film manages some genuinely moving moments. Jim encountering a mentally ill suspect in a way that ends in tragedy, his conversation with his sister, or especially the film's final ten or so minutes. It might be punctuated by some pretty outlandish sequences, but I think that the film is able to find moments of stillness and gravitas that keeps the characters and their world feeling grounded.
This is a movie that makes me feel a lot of things. It makes me laugh. I knew that some people would find it kind of dumb, but I'm glad there are some people who are enjoying it. I think it's a special little film.
Thunder Road, 2018
Jim Arnaud (Jim Cummings) is reeling from the loss of his mother and an impending divorce from his wife, Ros (Jocelyn DeBoer), with whom he shares custody of their daughter, Crystal (Kendal Farr). As Jim tries to put on a "everything is fine" attitude, the emotional pressure builds and builds and starts to come out in destructive and unpredictable ways.
My sister and I have been trying to set up a time to watch The Beta Test together, and she refers to it almost every time as "What's the name of that new movie? You know, from that guy who makes you laugh but also really uncomfortable?"
I really, really love this movie, and for many reasons.
What I like most about it is the way that it shows a man whose behavior and mannerisms are incredibly erratic. We have caught him as he's approaching rock bottom. But what we can infer about him is that at some point---most points---he has behaved in a way that has earned him loyalty and love from a range of people. He is a highly decorated officer, he has a good relationship with his sister, and he has an incredibly loyal friend in the form of his partner, Nate (Nican Robinson).
Jim is a character who clearly wants to do the right thing and wants to be a good father, but he just can't help getting in his own way. He is fixated on the way that he is perceived by others, and the pressure that he puts on himself is simply too much.
I also give this film like a whole half star for the sequence in which Jim attends a parent-teacher conference with his daughter's weary teacher (Macon Blair!!!). If you've ever wondered what parent-teacher conferences are like . . . . look no further. I watched this film with my sister and her husband, both of whom are teachers, and we were all howling with laughter. "Oh my god. Yes. Correct," was my brother-in-law's verdict.
I realize that enjoying this film really comes down to whether you are able to vibe with the very specific brand of borderline-cringe comedy that Cummings is laying down. (And just to be VERY clear, I absolutely do not mean that in a "Oh, you just don't get it" way at all---I just mean I think it's the kind of comedy that is very much a matter of taste). From the more outlandish funeral sequence or his breakdown outside the police station, to the disastrous conversation he has with the judge overseeing his custody dispute, you either peek through your hands in sympathy or you probably think "Why would I ever root for this goober?".
For me, it really works. Jim so clearly struggles with self-esteem. And he is such a try-hard. He reacts to any negative feedback with desperate attempts to get back into the good graces of anyone he might have offended. His all-in approach is clearly sincere, in its own way, but he has reached a point where it no longer does him any favors.
And finally, I think that the film manages some genuinely moving moments. Jim encountering a mentally ill suspect in a way that ends in tragedy, his conversation with his sister, or especially the film's final ten or so minutes. It might be punctuated by some pretty outlandish sequences, but I think that the film is able to find moments of stillness and gravitas that keeps the characters and their world feeling grounded.
This is a movie that makes me feel a lot of things. It makes me laugh. I knew that some people would find it kind of dumb, but I'm glad there are some people who are enjoying it. I think it's a special little film.