Normally when I do movie reviews, I try to do movies on Netflix. They're more accessible, and I like picking out movies that may not have gotten the attention they deserved when they were in theaters. But last Tuesday I went to the movies and left with a burning fire in my chest. The fire told me to tell everyone about this movie before it leaves the theater. So sit back while I tell you about "Swiss Army Man".
"Swiss Army Man" is notoriously referred to as "the farting corpse movie". After a few walk-outs at Sundance, many people thought that this movie had nothing to offer. But for those that stayed, the movie was a success. So no matter what you hear about this movie, I implore you to go see it on your own.
"Swiss Army Man" opens with our main protagonist attempting to hang himself on a deserted island. Through items and "help" signs floating out at sea, we can see that he has been hoping for rescue for a long time, and has grown bored and numb to the idea of being saved. Though it is never explicitly said how long Hank (Paul Dano) has been there, we can assume it has been a long time. We never even learn how or why Hank ended up there. The movie is able to tell it's story so well that we don't need a back story. We aren't plagued with flashbacks that pander to our lack of knowledge. The movies story takes place in the present, and we trust it to tell us everything we need to know. After seeing a corpse on the beach, Hank runs over (after forgetting about the noose and struggling with his failed suicide, the humor in this film is well established), only to find the body shaking (cue the farts). Using it's jet propelled flatulance, Hank is able to find his way to a beach, where he finds wrappers and other clues of human life that lead him closer to home. After setting up camp, the corpse, who Hank begins to refer to as Manny, (Daniel Radcliffe) begins to speak. Together, Manny and Hank try to find their way back home, as Hank teaches Manny about love, emotion, social norms, and what it means to be alive.
Paul Dano is fantastic in this movie. His distracted and sometimes pitiful character helps to maintain an underlying darkness within the film. He acts, at times, as a father figure to Manny as he teaches him about the world. The two have a beautiful relationship, and Hank goes to great lengths to give Manny the experience of the real world (specifically dressing up as a girl to allow Manny to experience a date).
Daniel Radcliffe deserves some sort of recognition for his performance. It's a strange thing, to have a character that's halfway between life and death, but Radcliffe finds it. He plays Manny's movements with the practiced elegance of a dancer, and keeps his sentences short and slurred, without losing the viewer's understanding. His American accent sounds as authentic as Dano's, and his childlike innocence melds perfectly with Dano's parental love.
The film is scored by Andy Hull and Robert McDowell (two of the members of Manchester Orchestra) and they nailed it. The films music is almost always cued by the actors. It may start with Hank going "bah bah bah bah bah" to himself, and that becomes the basis to an acappella song that scores a scene. It's a brilliant choice, as this film is about two people who are stranded alone. An ordinary score would seem out of place, and take away from the isolation the film tries to convey. This way however, we truly get the sense that these two people are cut off from everyone else. They even have to sing their own theme music.
"Swiss Army Man" serves as a beautiful reminder that everybody needs someone. It questions social norms and makes you think when you leave the theater, as a good film should. Don't let this movie leave theaters without you seeing it. "Swiss Army Man" is in theaters now!
