directed by:
Rich Ronat written by: Rich Ronat genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi |
Okay…what in the “Idiocracy” is going on in this film right here? Consider me interested! “The Clutterbucks” is a glimpse into the future ahead, and it’s probably smarter than you’re going to realize at first. It’s set in 2075, a time that shows an America that’s in decline in a whole variety of different ways, yet still somehow carrying on. With parents who subscribe to the scarlet way of thinking (Read as: conservative) and kids who are growing up with cobalt values (as in: democratic), obviously it’s not going to take too long for this story to go right off the rails when a new epidemic gets unleashed on society. They’re all forced to spend insane amounts of time with each other. Maybe you remember what that was like. Maybe for some of you, “The Clutterbucks” will play out more like a Documentary than the Comedy it’s intended to be. I’ll say this much to start – I think the parents had a rock solid plan raising their kid to be a football star. Way back when I was in high school, I can vividly remember saying that if I was to ever become a breeder myself (I didn’t…no reason to panic), I wouldn’t even send them to school. I’d raise them to be Ben Affleck & make some real money instead. Some folks laughed, but I was serious. Affleck just sold his AI startup company for a half billion-plus – so who’s laughing now? Anyhow…the point was that school doesn’t educate you on how to make money. Sports star, actor, influencer…I mean…these are the modern-day ways to go out and make your fortune.
There is legitimately something here. As a critic that is notoriously tough on Comedy, I was impressed by what Writer/Director Rich Ronat put together here. It’s largely allegorical, so you’re really watching something that’s about something else entirely, but it’s not going to be too tough for most to figure out what that would be. Emphasizing the strangeness of the political divide that exists in our society today, watching this family trying to navigate their differences was truly fun. Not only does the movie make a series of comical moves that land really well right from the start, but the visual element of how these scenes are shot, what is shown, and the wonderfully intentional over-the-top acting all stack up to a serious win while “The Clutterbucks” keeps you laughing. From the sound of Mr. Clutterbuck’s leg brace to the ultra-intense look of Mrs. Clutterbuck’s stare, you’ll see how Ronat has found brilliant ways of using both physical comedy and intellectual humour to this film’s advantage. Yes – I’m aware that I just wrote “intellectual humour.” That’s what this is at the core of its DNA, whether it wants to admit it or not. So much is going right with this film, and so early on, you have to give real credit to Ronat for knowing precisely how to go about creating something this ridiculous, yet this engaging at the very same time. Each and every character you’ll meet has an entire series of quirks that would supply a therapist with a laundry list of reasons to keep them coming back week after week for another appointment. They’re walking goldmines of psychological trouble in that regard – and most of them have no idea that that’s really the case. Early standouts in the cast also make it super easy to get into “The Clutterbucks” as well. People like Kayla Raelle, who plays the young & rebellious Madison Clutterbuck, for example – she’s never met a fight she doesn’t want to be part of, and she’s more than proud of the fact that she doesn’t have any of the same beliefs as her mom. Incidentally, Twyla Clutterbuck, the matriarch, is played by Laura Vale, who has starred in just about every comedy show on television that I’ve never watched, and is as ferocious as she is brilliantly committed to this role. There are jokes to be found every which way you look and in every second line of dialogue, but Vale proves to be the real champion of this film’s casting. When it comes to the success of “The Clutterbucks” overall, however, it’s largely due to the choices that Ronat has made and the stunning attention to detail he’s put into his movie. The cast came in prepared & ready to embody their bizarre roles, which of course makes a huge difference to any film, but beyond that, Ronat’s incredible eye for direction and his innate understanding of how to use this whole visual medium to his advantage is nothing short of remarkable. Whether it’s through the use of clever effects, what to include in the background of each scene, or his relentless focus on ensuring that each member of the cast involved got the maximum out of their characters and their dialogue – Ronat proves to be a certifiable all-star in the realm of the oddball Comedy. As their son Billy (Brit Scott) decides to leave his potential football career to open up a chronic shop, putting his parents’ retirement plan and the entire generational wealth of the Clutterbuck family in jeopardy, things get real damn tense under this shared roof they’re all stuck under. An extra shout-out to you, Adalynn Clutterbuck is absolutely deserved – young Bixby Baker is an exceptional talent, and nails one of the most fantastic roles in the whole cast. Armed with a puppet that says all the things that nobody should say loud and proud, she steals just about every scene she’s in.
Vale still proves to be the most formidable force onscreen in this movie though – as far as I’m concerned, I genuinely think she deserves an award for the performance she puts in here. Watching her right-wing tendencies flare up when she’s trying to find a way to communicate with Billy’s obviously left-wing lady Christina Fernbottom (Jacy King) is too much fun. As Twyla explains all the many different ways that she could potentially have Christina killed, she opts to plot the death of her unborn child instead as a means to protect the future of her family, and her son Billy from himself too. It might not be the pro-life stance you’d assume the scarlet mindset would have based on what they claim to value, but let’s be real here – most of them don’t mean a goddamn word they say to begin with. Much like what the pro-life crowd is like in real life, as soon as an inconvenient baby comes along and could possibly negatively affect them, all of a sudden abortion becomes the right answer after all. The family has many important decisions to make if they’re going to find a way to the future they want. Look…I’m realistic about Comedy and objective to a fault – I know that there are approximately zero films that can keep us all laughing from start to finish without at least a bit of space in between jokes. What I loved about “The Clutterbucks” was how it not only continually defied the odds for how many times it cracks the bat and hits a home run with its humour, but when it’s not making you laugh out loud, you’ll be just as impressed by how amusing everything else is along the way. LISTEN to the SAVAGE dinner conversation this family has, will ya? As a dude that has always been happy to be a carnivore in a family that also contains “bitch-ass” vegans, watching the Clutterbuck family trying to get along was way too much fun. Watching Billy pull out a picture of his unborn kid while they’re trying to eat a meal was awesome. Watching how Adalynn’s puppet doesn’t sleep even when she does was fantastically brilliant. So much of this movie is tremendously clever with its comedy – I truly hope this doesn’t get passed over. If you haven’t watched “The Clutterbucks” by now, I assure you that you’re missing out, and advise you to rectify this problem as quickly as you can. This is that Wes Anderson or David O. Russell type of crazy that you can’t turn away from, with script writing that is commendably sharp and a cast that has no problem getting the maximum out of every moment. As crazy as it all is, the execution is faultless, and the laughs keep on coming as a result. I never knew what to expect, and its unpredictable ideas just kept getting better as it all played on. I’m going with a solid four stars out of five for “The Clutterbucks” – heck, I’d go as far as to say this is one of the best surprises I’ve seen onscreen in any genre this year. |
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