Review of Small Apartments (2012) by Nicholas H — 23 Jun 2013

Franklin Franklin (Matt Lucas), a hairless eccentric obsessed with Switzerland, lives alone in an apartment complex populated with other eccentrics, including drug-addled Tommy Balls (Johnny Knoxville), grouchy old Mr. Allspice (James Caan), and the young Simone (Juno Temple) across the way who Franklin sometimes watches thru binoculars. Franklin has accidentally killed his landlord, Mr. Olivetti (Peter Stormare) during a rent argument. In an effort to get rid of the body, he takes it back to Olivetti's house and tries to stage it as a suicide, including setting it on fire which he quickly extinguishes. Getting rid of Olivetti's truck leads to Franklin being assaulted in a vacant lot, and robbed of a watch his brother gave him; the thugs also steal the truck. The next day, Franklin discovers his brother.

Bernard (James Marsden), who was self-committed to a hospital some time ago, has died of an inoperable brain tumor, that he did not tell Franklin about. Among Bernard's effects is an envelope holding a key; the key is to a locker containing a recorded message revealing that Bernard stole from his employer and has left Bernard a large sum of money in a Swiss bank account and a passport in a new identity. Meanwhile, fire investigator Burt Walnut (Billy Crystal), visiting the apartment complex, talks to Franklin's neighbors and becomes suspicious of Franklin...

This is an eccentric movie about an eccentric gallery of people in L.A. Personally I think that Jonas Åkerlund is trying a bit too hard to create something weirdly unique and quirky, even if the acting ensemble is intriguing with so many known names. Besides the mentioned actors/actresses we also see Rosie Perez, Amanda Plummer, Dolph Lundgren and Rebel Wilson. Åkerlund continues where.

He left of with "Spun" and goes in a similar path with "Small Apartments" and I reckon I liked the former better. However, with Matt Lucas in the lead you are more or less guaranteed to get a weird performance as his whole appearance is "special" so to speak. The part I liked the most in the movie was actually Bernard´s speech to Franklin on a tape cassette in the end. A speech about chosing to be happy and that happiness is a state of mind. I really liked that. And, I do want to give Åkerlund credit for trying to create some sort of american Almodovarish movie.