Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
This time you can't change the channel
Starring: Tom Green, Rip Torn, Marisa Coughlan, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Harland Williams, Anthony Michael Hall, Julie Hagerty, Jackson Davies, Connor Widdows, John R. Taylor, Robert Osborne, Fiona Hogan, George Gordon, Ron Selmour, Drew Barrymore
Director: Tom Green
Running Time: 87 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 18
Comedy
On DVD Tom Green's MTV show tends to swing wildly from incredibly funny to just plain rubbish. 'Freddy Got Fingered' is basically more of the same, only missing one critical ingredient: the reaction of passing innocents, watching in horror as Green publicly acts the mentalist. Starved of that ingredient, this feature-length vehicle for the self-styled Canadian madman lands well wide of its target.
Green plays Gord Brody, the struggling cartoonist who yearns to have his sketches accepted by Hollywood, in order to escape the rancid bellowing authority of his pig-ignorant father (Rip Torn). Empowered by paraplegic girlfriend Betty (Marisa Coughlin), who herself harbours ambitions to captain the world's first rocket-powered wheelchair, Gord gains the self-belief to make his centaur-based cartoon show a reality. Meanwhile, grudging brother Freddy (Eddie Kaye Thomas) - himself a grown man - ends up in the 'Institute for Sexually Molested Children' as a result of some particularly inventive accusations flung by our (anti)hero.
That's the plotline in a nutshell, though more often than not it makes way for Green's trademark animal-fondling, roadkill-toying and 'bum-bum' singing. It's as if there's a deliberate intention to offend, a purpose that's essentially flawed because most of these boundaries have already been broken by countless other gross-out flicks and MTV time-fillers of the past five years.
When Gord puts his dad's suit on backwards and struts in front of the mirror, or attaches sausages to his fingers to play the keyboard, it's funny. Let's face it, Tom Green is a funny guy. But his most anarchic, cutting edge and most importantly NEW material has already been done ten times better on his TV show. This is a forced version of that material, devoid of all spontaneity and treated to mass overkill by Green's self-engrossed directorial approach.
DVD Extras: Tom Green's audio commentary, 6 deleted scenes, 3-minute kiddy-friendly version of the movie, MTV 'Making Of' featurette, TV spots and theatrical trailer.
It's Got: Rip Torn exposing parts of himself few of us would ever wish to be exposed to.
It Needs: Not to be watched by the easily-offended.
Alternatives: Jackass: The Movie, Road Trip
Summary: Funny in places, but not nearly as clever, radical or 'out there' as it clearly thinks it is. Tom Green needs a new routine, and he needs it fast.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 13th August 2003
External Links
Freddy Got Fingered at the IMDB
Comments3 Comments |
| what is tom greens email address, i have an imprtant question/coment to ask him, i would lke him to run for president in 4 years, i would definitally vote for him, he is like my idol, my goal is to be funnier than him at schhol, but i dont think anyone is patrick sutherland @ sut82@aol.com |
| Comment by:- patrick sutherland | | 26 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| Tom Green is not American so it's highly unlikely. |
| Comment by:- Paddy C | | 27 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| Tom Green does not need a new act.....if you have a sense of humor and look at the story line instead then its funny as Heck. I mean the father calls his son names and everything that he does...the comedy of Tom Green is PRICELESS....I dont care what anyone thinks. I cant wait for him to make another movie like this....! |
| Comment by:- Chris | | 31 October 2004 | ip: logged |
