Running Time: 99 Minutes
Certification: 15
Starring: Dave Franco, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thames, Kiernan Shipka, Peter Dinklage, Nicholas Braun, Lynn Wanlass, Macon Blair, Grace Junot, Lee Eddy, Melanie Loren
Sometimes, a title can tell you all that you need to know. Following the release of last year's reimagining of The Toxic Avenger, writer/director Macon Blair returns with another comedy with gross-out moments. Known originally by the more distinctive name The Shitheads, Blair's latest is renamed with the more marquee friendly title, Idiots. Do not let the softer title fool you, as the ensuing buddy comedy is an entertaining work with some bite to it.
When viewers meet the protagonists, they have hit rock-bottom after losing their jobs. Davis (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) is facing the consequences after accidentally taking the youth-group on a movie field-trip to watch Lars Von Trier's Antichrist. As it turns out, his teary defence of the film containing "just one dong" is not enough to keep him employed. Meanwhile, cutbacks have led to slacker Mark (Dave Franco) being let go from his long-time job. When he tries acting out in rage, it results in a pencil being impaled in his hand. Considering these monumental messes are how we're introduced to the characters, it's a solid signifier for the title.
Desperate for work, the two are paired together for a job transporting kids to rehab. They are tasked with escorting Sheridan (Mason Thames), a rich kid with a temper and a history of antagonistic behaviour. The chaotic passenger soon details the drivers' plans, and what should be a simple job spirals into anarchy.
What Macon Blair delivers is an effective comedy that feels like the depraved offspring of Dumb and Dumber and Midnight Run. It's a riotous time that is driven by barreling momentum, and great chemistry shared amongst the game cast. It is also worth mentioning an unforgettable defecation scene which is the right combination of unforgettable visuals, effective sound design, and perfect comedic timing to leave quite the impression.
From the moment viewers meet Davis, it's clear that he has a low opinion of himself. He wishes to better himself by helping others, but his constant aim to keep professional just makes it even more fun when the facade slips. On the flip side, Mark is the type of guy who will drive into a disabled parking space in a car park with many empty spaces. He is eager to do the job well, but acts without a care for professionalism as he brings along drugs and seems eager to enact violence. This pair are like chalk and cheese, with their dynamic fantastically brought alive by O'Shea Jackson Jr. and Dave Franco.
As the person being transported, Mason Thames effectively brings alive this moody and quietly manipulative product of entitlement. When the character's rich parents ensure he will never face justice for his actions, that he will run around unchecked and receive barely a slap on the wrist, it's no wonder that he embraces causing such destruction. A special mention is deserved for Kiernan Shipka, who memorably brings alive the exotic dancer caught up in the unfolding shitstorm surrounding the protagonists.
While the first half is driven by the terrific momentum, this notably drops when the second half comes around. One understands the intention with this half, as the gun-wielding thugs played by Peter Dinklage and an unrecognisable Nicholas Braun represent a warning for Sheridan getting himself in too deep. Unfortunately, this is let down by a sense that the film is stalling before it can reach the finale.
Considering the circumstances of his upbringing, one is left to wonder where the resolution will leave Sheridan. Will the spoiled rich kid take the first steps to becoming a better version of himself, or has he gotten too used to feeling free of consequences due to his parents wealth? The resolution rings true for the story, and feeds effectively into the social commentary. There are some things that no amount of money can make okay, despite the insistence of those who are rich and vile, and it can feel overwhelming with the deck stacked against us. Yet, no matter how many mistakes we make, we are doing our best, and that's a lovely core to a solid comedy like The Shitheads Idiots.
Idiots is available on digital platforms now from Vertigo Releasing
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