Z/Web

Author: Judd Apatow

Director: Judd Apatow

The premise felt totally predictable and a retread of countless other “oh I’m pregnant” movies, but it’s surprisingly tender and well done, with a realistic and light-hearted approach to a complex and awkward situation. It does have the author’s taste for crudity which occasionally goes too far, but most of the time it serves as dramatic contrast for the film’s drama, enhancing the serious moments of the film. Nothing too profound, and not even that original, but decently handled with an appealing cast.

This is an odd film. The main character is a cold-blooded serial killer — yet we like him. He’s struggling with his “addiction” to murder, which makes him sympathetic. There isn’t much of a plot, really, just a few lose tangles about his daughter who might have his same disease, an admirer who’s blackmailing him into taking him in as an apprentice killer, and a lady cop who’s tracking him but is distracted by her own divorce chaos. Still, the story works, and the visual gimmick of having the killer’s dark thoughts show up as a separate actor is intriguing. However, the ending’s a struggle and too convoluted for true satisfaction. I really liked parts of this but other aspects were poor, so overall I give it a slight thumbs up. Don’t expect genius, though at times it’s clever and interesting. And I suppose it doesn’t hurt that the film is set in Portland, Oregon, near where I live.