Magnolia Pictures | 2009 | 99 mins. | Rated R
S has never been known as a shrinking violet. He first made a name for himself in the 1980’s on the stand-up comedy circuit, where he was known for his energetic stage personality, and dark, acerbic black comedy. Later, Goldthwait embarked on a surprising thoughtful (though some might deem controversial career as an independent filmmaker, where he has taken an unflinching look at issues such as depression, alcoholism, and the complexities of honesty in his own unique, rather dark, way.
In his latest film, World’s Greatest Dad, Goldthwait has given Robin Williams the best role he’s had in years. Even though Williams is an Oscar winner, it seems like he’s been flailing around in largely forgettable projects for quite awhile now—Man of the Year, anyone? Watching World’s Greatest Dad reminded me, while Williams may be best known as a comedian. Some of his best roles have been in the dramatic arena.
Williams plays Lance Clayton, a high school English teacher and failed writer, raising a loathsome teenager named Kyle (Daryl Sabara). To call Kyle loathsome is kind; he’s addicted to internet porn, hateful toward all his classmates, and obstinate in all interactions with his father and other adults. He calls everyone a “fag” and claims to hate literally everything except for pictures of naked women. He even says he hates music. All music. “The only thing queerer than music are the people who like it,” he says.
Because Kyle is such an unpleasant fellow, we are able to laugh (albeit, a bit uncomfortably) as he becomes popular after accidently committing suicide (caused by autoerotic asphyxiation). Through a strange string of events Darryl becomes a kind of cult figure, and by extension Lance finds his life undergoing some positive changes. Why would a kid who died while masturbating deserve such respect? Well, Lance changed the scene around a bit before calling authorities—he hung his son’s body in the closet, and then wrote his son’s suicide note. Lord knows, suicide is less embarrassing than the real situation, so Lance’s actions are both heartfelt and screwed up at the same time.
Things get even stranger, when Kyle’s suicide note becomes a hit around the high school campus. As a failed novelist, Lance can’t believe that this fake suicide note is the first time anyone has ever paid attention to his writing. Even Claire (Alexie Gilmore), a fellow teacher who never wanted to acknowledge their relationship in public, is more affectionate than he could have ever dreamed of. Predictably, things quickly get out of control; as the suicide note that Lance wrote to save his son one last embarrassment, is used by others to turn Kyle into a saint. All of this causes his father to engage in onr deception after another.
Suffice to say, World’s Greatest Dad won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. If you have a strong respect for dark comedy and some uncomfortable silences, I suspect you’ll appreciate the message of the film. I think it’s probably important to let potential viewers know that World’s Greatest Dad is a very dirty joke of a movie. While it takes an open to navigate through the mindfield that director Bobcat Goldthwait has put in front of us, at the end there is a surprisingly strong and enduring message.
There is nothing about this excellent 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer to suggest that World’s Greatest Dad was made for a fraction of the cost of most modern movies. The picture is perfectly clean, sharp, and detailed.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack stays in the front channels and is always clear and intelligible. Of note, there are no English subtitles.
World’s Greatest Dad has the following special features:
• Audio Commentary with Writer and Director Bobcat Goldthwait: Apparently Bob was on painkillers just two days after back surgery when recording this, but he still does a solid job. He discusses actors as they appear, the state of contemporary comedy (this film isn’t dark, everything else is just too light), and where characters fall on the heroes/villains scale. He also reveals his influences (from Hal Ashby to Wes Anderson), defends the film against criticisms, and discusses how he feels about the teenaged demographic.
• Deleted Scenes (4:08) There are five scenes in total, and as in most cases it seems like the scenes were rightfully deleted. However, it’s nice to have a chance to see them.
• Outtakes (1:52) We are treated to four rather funny botched takes.
• Behind the Scenes: WWBCD? (18:35) is a down-to-earth making-of featurette created by Goldthwait’s daughter Tasha. It asks cast and crew members to describe the film, and shows us candid footage from the set. It’s a refreshing alternative to standard EPK material.
• HDNet: A Look at World’s Greatest Dad (4:42) promotes the film with clips, and comments from Goldthwait about his intentions, his career, and his cameo.
• Music Video (4:11) The Deadly Syndrome’s “I Hope I Become a Ghost.”
[xrrgroup][xrr label=”Video:” rating=”4.0/5″ group=”s1″ ] [xrr label=”Audio:” rating=”4.0/5″ group=”s1″] [xrr label=”Extras:” rating=”2.0/5″ group=”s1″] [xrr label=”Film Value:” rating=”4.0/5″ group=”s1″] [/xrrgroup]
