Baghead (2008)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Directors:

Jay Duplass
Mark Duplass

Writers:

Jay Duplass (written by) &
Mark Duplass (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Horror | Romance

Plot:

Four struggling actors retreat to a cabin in Big Bear, California in order to write a screenplay that will make them all stars. Problem is: What happens when their story idea -- a horror flick about a group of friends tormented by a villain with a bag over his head -- starts to come true? |

Plot Keywords:

California | Cabin | Actor | Chase | Faking Own Death

Cast

Ross Partridge	...	Matt
Steve Zissis	...	Chad
Greta Gerwig	...	Michelle
Elise Muller	...	Catherine
Jett Garner	...	Jett Garner
Anthony Cristo	...	'Priest' the Bouncer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Huettner	...	Girl in the Front Row
Jennifer Lafleur	...	Kristen Thompson
Cass Naumann	...	Cass
Amy Quick Parrish	...	Festival Audience Member

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:16

Company:

Duplass Brothers Productions

Quotes:

Chad: You're like Michael Jordan, I'm Bill Lambier! I've got no game!

Movie Connections:

References Top Gun (1986)

Soundtrack:

3 of Harts

Really boring...predictable. Good performance by Zissis and Muller

No, I wasn't expecting "IRON MAN" or "GET SMART", so put the hipster knives away, I don't need explosions or Megan Fox to enjoy a movie.

The movie starts interestingly enough, by mocking the indie film circuit "Q&A with the director". In what can, at best, be called a non-sequitur, they try to go to a club, only, moments later, to be at a Bennigan's like establishment where they decide to retreat to the mountains to write a script.

The overweight guy likes the cute girl, she likes him as a friend. The glossy lady think the girl is kind of boorish, and the cute girl thinks she's a bit over glossy. Mr. "TheMan" has sexual access to Ms. Glossy, but, unsurprisingly, the boorish girl has some desire for Mr. The Man, who will naturally feel contest between his desire to bang both the females and be loyal to his friend.

All of this is telegraphed within the first 5 minutes, and you kind of feel a bit of a No Exit vibe brewing, but with people who are slightly more familiar than strangers.

That notion goes nowhere and as they reach the cabin they proceed to fulfill that which has been already telegraphed in excruciatingly long, jittery-cam Mumblecore style.

I checked my email.

The curveball thrown into the mix is that the proposed script involves an anonymous slasher in the woods. As the movie trudges on, a bag-headed-slasher runs amok.

I think there's an element of "everyone in LA wants to be famous" lurking about in this movie somewhere, but it's too occulted by everything else to get through clearly.

Elise Muller does a great job being glossy the whole time through ( best touch, wearing her night-guard in the morning ) and Steve Zissis remains vulnerable and sweet throughout. I really liked Greta Gerwig in the SXSW spots she did 2 years ago, but I didn't see anything that wowed me. The other guy was pretty good too.