Release Date:
11/21/2008
Directed by: Hal Haberman and Jeremy Passmore
The Skinny: A mild-mannered loser (Michael Rapaport) whose only social outlet is the local comic book shop signs up to be a human guinea pig for an experimental anti-depressant drug. He believes the pills are giving him super powers, others believe he's nuts. This doesn't stop him from dressing up in costume and fighting crime.
The Good: This movie represents, by far, the best use of Rapaport's stunned doofus demeanor yet. He flip flops between dejection, confusion, elation, and anger and really sells each emotion. Special is also a great dash of cold water on the recent comic book movie crazeunlike M. Night Shyamalan's doe-eyed attempt to drag superheroes into the real world in Unbreakable, Special doesn't flinch in portraying potential costumed heroes and those who idolize them as pitiful crackpots.
The Bad: Special works best when it puts Rapaport's delusions up against the real world, but it falters in its attempt to introduce a "villain." The slick-haired pharmaceutical rep who terrorizes Rapaport is too cartoonish to make for a convincing threathis cartoonishness would be justified, by the way, if he were simply a product of Rapaport's character's imagination, but in the end the movie seems to settle on the decision that he's real, and that's the problem. This is a movie about an internal battle, and should have kept it at that.
The Chubbiness: Special was shot in 2006, but is only now getting a release. You may recognize one of the husky stoners from the comic shop as Josh Peck from The Wacknessalbeit with the addition of a few extra pounds.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Well, Special actually got an exclusive cable premiere on HDNet last night, so it looks like this decision has been made for you. Otherwise, it's an OK rental.
The Skinny: A mild-mannered loser (Michael Rapaport) whose only social outlet is the local comic book shop signs up to be a human guinea pig for an experimental anti-depressant drug. He believes the pills are giving him super powers, others believe he's nuts. This doesn't stop him from dressing up in costume and fighting crime.
The Good: This movie represents, by far, the best use of Rapaport's stunned doofus demeanor yet. He flip flops between dejection, confusion, elation, and anger and really sells each emotion. Special is also a great dash of cold water on the recent comic book movie crazeunlike M. Night Shyamalan's doe-eyed attempt to drag superheroes into the real world in Unbreakable, Special doesn't flinch in portraying potential costumed heroes and those who idolize them as pitiful crackpots.
The Bad: Special works best when it puts Rapaport's delusions up against the real world, but it falters in its attempt to introduce a "villain." The slick-haired pharmaceutical rep who terrorizes Rapaport is too cartoonish to make for a convincing threathis cartoonishness would be justified, by the way, if he were simply a product of Rapaport's character's imagination, but in the end the movie seems to settle on the decision that he's real, and that's the problem. This is a movie about an internal battle, and should have kept it at that.
The Chubbiness: Special was shot in 2006, but is only now getting a release. You may recognize one of the husky stoners from the comic shop as Josh Peck from The Wacknessalbeit with the addition of a few extra pounds.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Well, Special actually got an exclusive cable premiere on HDNet last night, so it looks like this decision has been made for you. Otherwise, it's an OK rental.