By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I grew up loving Bobcat Goldthwait. I remember my older sister and I adored his films and his stand-up routine. Whether watching him in Hot to Trot, Shakes the Clown or the Police Academy sequels, Goldthwait always had an endearing quality that made each role he portrayed captivating.
I had read the synopsis for God Bless America and it sounded very interesting. My husband then told me that Goldthwait wrote and directed it. We decided to stay in bed and turn it on. I hadn’t heard anything about the movie so I didn’t expect much yet it sounded as though it had great potential.
From moment one, God Bless America, grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. It is such a smart and well done film. It holds a mirror to society and the sad reflection staring back is a shallow and cruel vision.
Frank (Joel Murray) is a hardworking divorced father who despite his best efforts doesn’t see his daughter, Ava (Mackenzie Brooke Smith). Ava who can’t be more than 9 years old is a spoiled brat who wants nothing to do with Frank unless he buys her a present. She insults him and his apartment never once being concerned about hurting him. To show the extent of her bad behavior, we see her throw a vicious tantrum because her mother mistakenly bought her a Blackberry, instead of an i-Phone.
Meanwhile, we learn that Frank’s life is one of constant letdowns and unwanted experiences with the worst that society has to offer. His neighbors are despicable people who are rude and self-involved. They are loud at all hours of the night and park blocking Frank in so that he constantly has to ask them to move their car. When Frank asks them once again to move, they don’t hide their annoyance and actually go further blaming Frank for not leaving room.
Sadly, television doesn’t provide Frank an escape. Instead, he sees people just as horrible as his neighbors being celebrated while their bad behavior is encouraged. Frank flips through channels unsuccessfully searching for something that isn’t dreadful. He sees a religious group that is without question, supposed to represent the despicable and insane posse led by Reverend Phelps who is notorious for protesting funerals of soldiers and homosexuals.
Frank continues to search for something watchable and is disgusted by a program that is similar to Oxygen’s reality show Bad Girls Club. He is horrified when a girl rips a dirty tampon out of her and throws it at another girl.
He changes the channels and comes across American Superstarz, a show that most certainly is a representation of American Idol. During the tryouts, Steven Clark (Aris Alvarado) a young man who has no singing talent but suffers from an obvious mental ailment is insulted and made fun of by the judges.
Disgusted, he changes the channel but is only greeted by more trash. Everything from a Glenn Beck/Bill O’Reilly clone to a program similar to MTV’s Super Sweet 16 further aggravates Frank and convinces him of the nation’s sad state of affairs.
The next day he goes to work. The only highlight of his day is when he sees Karen, (Brendalyn Richard) the receptionist who he obviously has a small crush on. On the surface, she seems receptive to him. They eat lunch together and when she had a bad day at work, he sent flowers to her home.
As he enters the office, his mood goes downhill. He overhears his boss reiterating lame jokes that were just on the radio. Others are laughing at the expense of Steven Clark. His co-worker/work neighbor (Bryce Johnson) asks if he saw American Superstarz and the disaster that was Clark. Frank answers that he accidentally caught it but despises the program. The employee questions him wondering if Frank thinks he’s better than the show. In one of the best pieces of dialogue ever filmed, Frank responds about the cruelty of society and how we have devolved.
As he finishes his speech, his boss (Geoff Pierson) calls Frank into the office where a Human Resources representative awaits. He is shocked by the news that Karen put in a sexual harassment claim. The company lets him go and has security bring him his belongings in a box.
Things go from awful to worse, as he finds out from his doctor that he has a fatal brain tumor. He spends one night crying and clutching a gun to his head, but then shifts gears.
After watching a television segment where spoiled brat Chloe (Maddie Hasson) screams and throws a fit because her parents purchased her the wrong car for her 16th birthday, Frank finds his calling.
He steals his neighbor’s car and tracks down Chloe. He attempts to blow up her car, but when that doesn’t work, he shoots her.
Most onlookers are in shock, but 16-year old Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) is ecstatic. She tracks down Frank to a hotel room where once again he is contemplating suicide. She talks him out of it and convinces him to kill others who deserve it starting with Chloe’s parents.
At first, Frank tells Roxy she can’t come, but when she tells him that her mother is a crack-head and her mother’s boyfriend rapes her every night, Frank allows her to ride along.
Together, the duo tracks down bigots, reality TV stars and anyone who makes society as a whole a worse place to live.
I cannot say enough positive things about this movie. It’s brilliant. So many share the sentiments of the lead character and therefore understand his motive and make him a sympathetic hero.
It is clear, we have developed into a very cruel society where we make fun at those weaker. Television shows are generally made to attract the lowest common denominator.
I remember a time when The Jerry Springer Show was the only show on TV that celebrated the reprehensible. It displayed the worst society had to offer. Now, this is commonplace. People like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan are idolized. Television shows like Bad Girls Club and Jersey Shore display the disgusting nature of those on the program all the while encouraging the youth to act in the same fashion. The feelings of others are insignificant and not even considered. Viewers tune in to watch train wrecks acting like douchebags.
God Bless America pulls no punches when calling out not only the television shows but those who enjoy them. It is a thinking man’s movie. Though extremely intelligent, it never falls into being pretentious or preachy.
This is by far one of the greatest movies to be released in years. I cannot suggest this one enough.
Murray does a fabulous job in the lead. He is in charge of delivering most of the important dialogue and sells every word.
Barr also does a great job. Roxy’s naiveté and idolization of Frank is endearing. Barr portrays her realistically and keeps the integrity of the character. In one moment Roxy can seem immature acting like a normal teenager and then in the next she can seem as though she is wise beyond her years. Despite the character’s constant transitions, Barr does a sensational job and I look forward to seeing her in other productions.
Goldthwait most certainly has a winner in this one. Some have made the comparison between this and Falling Down. It’s a fair comparison but I would say that God Bless America is a better thought out production. I think the dialogue is sharper and more meaningful and that the modernization for today’s times is important when evaluating how far we have fallen.
Even with the movie comparison, God Bless America, found a way to remain original. There are scenes that do remind of the Michael Douglas classic along with other movies like Tim Robbin’s Noise, but those are not what defines the movie. The soul of the production is within the moral compass of the main character. One may want to refuse to see the redemption in Frank but it’s impossible to be blind to it. Within the boundaries of the production, his actions do not need forgiveness when the motive is clear. Of course, murder is wrong, but the dialogue compounded with Murray’s acting ability assured the audience would remain on Frank’s side throughout.
Scared Stiff Rating: 9.5/10
