Review of Special (1967) by Charles S — 13 Sep 2009

Directors Hal Haberman and Jeremy Passmore?s first feature length film, ?Special,? is about as independent and obscure a film as you can get, without drawing attention to those very qualities. The film is about Les, (Rapaport) a depressed meter reader who volunteers testing a new drug that supposedly eliminates the human capacity to doubt themselves.

However, Les? effects are far different from previous tests, for he develops superpowers...superpowers that only Les can see. Enthralled by his new purpose in life to stop crime, Les embarks on a journey to perfect his new talent, but finds the creators of the miraculous drug hot on his tail.

The film?s story is undoubtedly one of the most original yet, but the delivery, as in the case of most new directors, is shaky. Rapaport convinces us that he truly believes his powers, but the rest of the cast lacks that same credibility.

They gawk at his attempts to run through walls, but don?t act as accordingly as one might assume a person to act if they discovered a friend of theirs suddenly became delusional. The writing is absolutely the strongest element of the film, and it transforms from a witty comedy into a visualization of American culture and its ?addiction? prescription drugs.

Les, who is downcast all his life, finally finds comfort and purpose with his new powers, only to discover that they don?t even exist. At this point in the film, Les must determine whether he needs a medication to give him that social freedom, and whether or not he can truly be a hero if he himself suffers from a drug addiction.

Remarkable in its pureness and stunning originality, ?Special? has the story of a fantastic film, but the delivery of a mild one.