Review of Good Dick (2008) by Benjamin F — 18 Oct 2009

I wasn't sure what exactly to expect when going into Good Dick beyond a low budget indie film - and those can be hit or miss, more often miss than hit (Though the hits tend to stand out far more than mainstream cinema when they pull it off) - and a little discussion of the film when Jason Ritter was on Conan earlier this year promoting its brief theatrical run.

That said, while parts of it definitely felt a little rough around the edges - like they could've used more embellishing - Good Dick is a very good movie. Marianna Palka makes a stunning debut both writing and directing the film - and largely doing a fantastic job with both - and playing a very complicated and conflicted character who, at the same time, isn't written to be particularly endearing to the audience at all for roughly 90% of the film. When she smiles, the world smiles with her, and even in her sour demeanor, she's hard to dislike as the similarly screwed up Jason Ritter character pursues her beyond all logic and common sense. This kind of outright idiotic pursuit of love against odds is something I can personally very much relate to. And as a character, he was very sympathetic and easy to root for.

The supporting cast, though small, is strong. Freaks and Geeks' Martin Starr's always enjoyable, Eric Edelstein made me think of Seth Rogen in a good way, and it was nice seeing Mark Webber again after watching the strange and fantastic Dear Wendy earlier this year. Tom Arnold was good enough in his one scene too - that one pivotal scene conveys a tremendous amount of what was unsaid up until that point, and it conveys it all effectively.

The soundtrack and cinematography are lovely, with many well framed shots (Great use of lighting and color, too) and a general ambiance to the soundtrack that helps to cultivate a particular mood that carries you through the film.

All in all, while not flawless, Good Dick is one of those especially offbeat, edgier indie films that avoids sticking to safe zones and explores all sorts of uncomfortable moments without constantly worrying about making its characters needlessly adorable. (Or "twee," I suppose, if you want to use the hipster term.) It's strange, unpretentious, and a genuinely remarkable experience. It could just probably have been even better if it were a bit longer and a few of its plot elements further embellished. Give it a look.