By Thomas Willett
In one week’s time (September 1), one of the most controversial movies of the year is finally seeing it’s release On Demand. What exactly is this controversial movie? Does it reveal dark secrets about our society? Does it feature anything groundbreaking? Metaphorically, yes.
The movie I am referring to is Red State, a film that puts director Kevin Smith in the same camp as Diablo Cody in regards to “Why did you make a horror movie?” If you have existed as a film nerd since June 2010, you have to be familiar with this film. Not only did Smith run a podcast detailing his production (Red State of the Union), but he also managed to make it known through his prolific Twitter account, gained notoriety for presenting a rough cut at the wrap-up party, and sold his film at Sundance to himself for $20. This sounds pretty ambitious for the guy who made Chasing Amy.
Depending on your opinions of Smith, you’ve seen Red State as either that ambitious turn around, or just another film. Fans cling to the hope that this will be “something different” in a positive light. They’ve stood by him through worse, and still manage to show up at San Diego Comic Con in Hall H to hear him blabber about sex with his wife. They now use this movie to tout that Smith is not just some juvenile director; that he actually has some talent.
Before I dive in, I want to clarify that in 2005, I bought a book called Silent Bob Speaks from a book store in Burbank. I read through it in a day. The inspiration lead me to become a movie blogger. I owe some debt to Smith for introducing me to the possibilities of writing.
However, just last year, after standing by him through diminishing movie returns and a revelation that he gave up movie blogging for podcasts, he finally broke my heart when he came out and blasted critics for negative reviews on Cop Out. He claimed that he’d rather have fans critique his movie (an ultimate form of kissing ass) and make critics pay. I was a critic, I paid. I even bought it on DVD, which in doing so, was more tragic than Blue Valentine.
How does he reply to Cop Out’s hatred a year later? He went on WTF with Marc Maron and claimed that it was a pain working with Bruce Willis. I get that. However, my heart was breaking even more when I discovered that shortly following, he updated his negative Jersey Girl jokes to “I’m the bad director of Cop Out.”
Usually, that shouldn’t hurt so much, but as someone who was influenced by Smith, his initial backlash that it was “for the fans,” then to dismiss the film as garbage (to roaring applause EVERY TIME), gives me an authentic two-face impression of him. Why did he go so far to defend a movie that we all hated? It’s not like he attacked Armond White. He attacked everyone, including Richard Roeper, who he guest starred with on At the Movies.
While I have just now re-allowed Smith into my life with SModcast, I just have trouble seeing him in the same light. In truth, I kind of wish this did to his career what happened to Tom Cruise after that South Park episode on Scientology. I no longer get thrilled to hear that he’s making Hit Somebody. I don’t care anymore that Red State is different. Jennifer’s Body was different for Diablo Cody, and that marked some Razzies recognition. I’m just seeing this with faint hopes it’s more than a run-of-the-mill horror story.
He no longer can persuade me on hype alone. Why should I risk seeing a movie “for the fans” if he’s going to call it garbage in a year? So what if he went back to his independent roots? It’s not like he’s Richard Linklater, who actually tries every time. So why is this film controversial? Because no matter what anybody says about it, I am more likely to get cussed out by Smith fans for assuming that I called their savior a pariah just because I said that Michael Parks’ sermon goes on too long. However, it should be all dandy, because I fulfilled Smith’s critic contract and paid for it, giving me diplomatic immunity.
(Check back each Wednesday for more of Thom’s thoughts on movies and more)
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