 | MOVIE #1,414 • 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿 • 03.04.24 MovieJeff on Motern: A FARLEY/ROXBURGH DIRECTOR FOCUS The second film in the Farley/Roxburgh canon attributes direction to Charles Roxburgh with Matt Farley starring and listed as co-writer. This will be the main way that it works for MOST of the movies going forward. It’s a little more than an insignificant detail but it opens a slight window into the working style of the creative duo. This is a direct sequel to Adventures in Cruben Country, but it’s a “direct sequel” in the Motern definition. Is the Matt Farley who suffers a trauma which leads him to believe he’s a mentally disabled character named Jamie the same Mayor Matt Farley? Perhaps, the film is still set in the same fictional Thomasville and other characters return presumably in the same roles (Mel as Mel the journalist and Kevin McGee as Kevin McGee the evil local businessman, among others) even if Matt's mayoral stint isn't referenced directly. |
(I'm kidding - it's fine)
Tonally, this is much more outwardly comedic than the debut movie. I think their humor works best when it comes across as naturalistic if not effortless, so I didn’t connect with the bulk of this one as much. But there’s still a ton to love, like the song written for and about the movie with lyrics that just plainly dictates parts of the plot and descriptions of certain character traits (how Jamie loves pizza, always wears a bike helmet and carries a frying pan, for instance).
Lastly, as I knew going into this filmography, a major highlight has been the acting of Kevin McGee. I swear this is not some contrarian take but I think McGee is actually good. I would describe his style as subtlety overacting, which I realize is an oxymoron but I still think that's accurate. He brings something to the table that is almost impossible to put your finger on but it’s absolutely perfect for the material as well as this level of production. I look forward to continuing this early portion of the filmography with back-to-back Druid-centric entries. I love the strange world-building and subtle but effective callbacks.
CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ MOVIE #1,413 - (YOU ARE HERE) - MOVIE #1,415 ⫸
⫷ MOVIE #1,413 - (YOU ARE HERE) - MOVIE #1,415 ⫸
After suffering a terrible blow to the head, Matt now considers himself a man named Jamie--a man who refuses to remove his bike helmet, carries a frying pan everywhere he goes, and takes life advice from an evil teddy bear. It was released on October 31, 2002.
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