Karla News

Dummy Movie Review

Son of Sam, Ventriloquism

There are times a movie wins me over fairly early, where I like it, I like the characters, and I’m rooting for it. Even if I can look at individual aspects of it and criticize or note how it could have been better, the whole is more likable than the sum of its parts.

That’s Dummy. It’s just a fun movie where I was interested the whole way in what was going to happen next.

It’s a dramedy, leaning comedy. There are some serious issues-about psychology, emotions, relationships-but I’d say it’s more a comedy, or at least succeeds more as a comedy.

Adrien Brody plays a shy 20-something who lives with his parents, as does his older sister played by Illeana Douglas. He’s something of a loser. He’s a nice enough guy, but timid and socially awkward, with seemingly few if any friends beyond a brassy pseudo hipster girl in a band (Milla Jovovich) that he befriended when they were both high school outcasts.

His family is utterly, and humorously, dysfunctional. The mother is a Jewish know-it-all nag who always supports and encourages her family members by saying whatever clueless thing will further erode any remaining confidence, self-esteem, or ability to function without her they might have. The father makes the occasional sardonic comment, but almost always makes sure he’s too engrossed in his model boat hobby to have to interact with his family.

The dynamics within the family are consistently funny, overall the best laughs in the film. Brody and the parents are all good, but I think Douglas may be the best. Her frustration with this family, especially the mother, is a riot.

Anyway, the protagonist has an interest in-even an obsession with-ventriloquism, and gets up the nerve to buy a dummy, get an agent, and even work a few events.

See also  The Top Ten Sci-Fi Films of 21st Century

I would be very, very wary of ever becoming a ventriloquist by the way, because invariably people will assume you have major mental problems. How could they not, given that it’s a universal rule that any ventriloquist in a movie or TV show will be a weird guy who starts thinking of his dummy as real and perhaps even receiving “Son of Sam”-type messages from it? The Anthony Hopkins movie Magic is a prime example-and actually a movie I liked quite a bit-but there are numerous others.

This movie does indeed go in that direction, as the protagonist and his dummy become more and more inseparable, and he takes to having long conversations with the dummy alone in his room. But it doesn’t develop that theme in a dark or extreme way. It’s an issue-a major issue-in the film, but it’s more quirky and mildly disturbing than ominous and severely disturbing. The movie remains primarily a comedy, and the protagonist more likable than insane or dangerous.

People in the movie pretty consistently react to the dummy as you would to a person. Not in the sustained and serious way that he does, but just instinctively. Like when the ventriloquist speaks through the dummy to them, they respond to the dummy rather than to the ventriloquist.

Partly that’s done for laughs, but actually I suspect real life wouldn’t be that different. I might do it too. When something with a face and a moving mouth is speaking to you, it takes an extra step of processing to not treat it as a living entity communicating with you. Even if just for a split second I have to think most people would initially react that way to a dummy, probably even more so than to a dog or cat, who are not speaking English to you after all.

See also  Las Vegas Kids-Friendly Shows

That is, if the ventriloquism is done well. When you really pay attention to it, you appreciate how the whole not moving your lips thing is probably about 10%-15% of the skill necessary to be a ventriloquist. Because really people shouldn’t be looking at the ventriloquist’s lips in the first place when the dummy is speaking; they should be looking at the dummy.

It’s all about timing, rhythm, and coordination. If the dummy is moving, changing his facial expressions and moving his lips in a way that coordinates with what he’s saying, and if what he’s saying makes sense in the context of the conversation or performance, it’s uncanny how much it can seem to be a person.

It’s particularly impressive how well that is done in this film, because I read later that Brody took the time to really study and practice the art of ventriloquism for this part. He “did his own stunts” so to speak, and to my eye does a remarkable job of it.

Not everything in this movie clicks. His friend-the girl in the band-is in some ways a good and interesting character, like in how it’s clear their friendship is very important to her and she’s very ambivalent about losing some of his attention if he makes connections with other people, especially of a romantic nature. But the character’s played a little over the top for me, a little too unrealistically flamboyant and goofy.

Small point, but the editing struck me as awkward in places. Like when there are two people conversing in a car, the cuts back and forth between them are done in such a way that it looks like each person was filmed alone in the car and then it was spliced together later.

See also  "The Apollo 18" Conspiracy

The film loses some steam toward the end.

Up until the last few minutes, it’s mostly a realistic story. I mean, it’s a comedy, so there’s going to be a little exaggeration here and there, or people saying lines they wouldn’t likely say in real life. But it’s reasonably close to a story you could imagine really happening.

But then a big action ending is tacked on, with people becoming heroes, and breaking out of their shells, and following their dreams, and walking off into the sunset together romantically, and on and on, and it’s all quite silly and unbelievable and only minimally funny. Plus the movie closes with a cheap joke at the expense of the protagonist’s platonic female friend, who frankly deserves better.

The ending’s a disappointment, but that’s not to say it sinks the movie. Dummy is still a clear winner, one I recommend without hesitation. It’s just not as good as it could have been with a better ending.

Reference: