Indie Reviews for Schmucks Like You!

The realm of indie arthouse flicks is frequently populated with films much like Patsy. Patsy is an ambitious attempted mindfuck of a project that tries to be too clever for its own good. This effect is compounded by the fact that the film largely features subpar pieces with which to carry out its ambitions. The story, which in the right hands could have been something interesting, isn’t played out in a manner that would be qualified as entertaining.

Patsy is the tale of a dude who, despite being schizophrenic, decides to stop taking his medicine. From there, the film plays with reality, a little too much for my tastes. The dude, Lenny, a blank affect douche who has all the charisma of a dog eating its own vomit, begins to become embroiled in a complicated and nonsensical plot involving a mysterious black box, a chick who may or may not be crazy, and a mysterious set of twins who plant all sorts of theories in the man’s mind. The fact is that Patsy spends a whole lot of time trying to get its viewers off kilter with randomness, illogical plot twists, and other such arthouse fare. If the effect they were going for was to give viewers some idea of what it might be like to be schizophrenic, then they rightfully achieved their goal. Does it make for good cinema? Not necessarily.

Part of this is due to the fact that the director fails to elevate the film above being a low-budget indie arthouse flick. The look of the film is too bright, lending the movie a ‘90s TV drama type of feel. The shot selections are subpar and way too in your face, and the pacing is definitely off. Still, Anton Jarvis’ handling of this complex tale of madness is slightly impressive. If only the film had a consistent tone, maybe things could have worked out.

The cast doesn’t help matters any. While there are some solid performances from some of the smaller characters in the film, the main stars of the movie are subpar at best. Brett Golov (Otis, Beverly Hills Ninja), who plays the main character Lenny, is unlikable enough to make you want to put a fist through your TV. The way he plays the character of Lenny is more annoying than listening to children sing or being harassed by those fucking Girl Scouts whenever you go into the grocery store. Golov plays the character with a dearth of emotion that makes him seem less schizophrenic than retarded. Christine Lakin (Race to Witch Mountain), who isn’t really all that bad, simply doesn’t have what it takes to pick up all of the slack that’s left over thanks to Golov’s forgettable performance. The lone bright spots in the cast are Ryan Bollman (Technique, The Closer) as Lenny’s friend skip and Reg E. Cathey (Se7en, Airheads) as Lenny’s doctor. Bollman deliver some solid lines and makes the movie bearable. Cathey’s scenes are the highlight of the film and it makes you wonder why this perennial “that guy” has never gotten more action in the film scene.

Patsy doesn’t do anything particularly well, and even the arthouse crowd will find it hard to pretend that it’s good… which they typically do for most arthouse flicks. The ambition of the film, combined with substandard directing, a low-budget, and unlikable stars, makes Patsy less than entertaining. It seems rather pointless in the end.

Final Synopsis: It’s not a terrible film… it just doesn’t have its shit together. It needs a re-write and an upgrade in all departments. As it is, I can’t think of anyone who needs to watch this… except for Reg E. Cathey fans.

Points Lost: -1 for poor directing, -1 for poor quality throughout, -1 for Brett Golov, -1 for general bad acting, -1 for a story that is too complicated for its own good and doesn’t amount to much in the end

Lesson Learned: Don’t stop taking your meds.

Burning Question: Does anyone out here, besides me, know who Reg E. Cathey is?

Patsy
5/10

Tags: 2008, anton jarvis, arthouse, brett golov, christine lakin, comedy, drama, latest independent film reviews, latest independent movie reviews, latest indie film reviews, latest indie movie reviews, latest movie reviews, low-budget, michael deluise, New Independent Film Reviews, new independent movie reviews, new indie film reviews, new indie movie reviews, quirky, recent3, reg e. cathey, ryan bollman