Postcards from the Funny Farm

Movies are a great way to keep you out of a straight-jacket. They are therapy big time for me here in the Funny Farm. The following is a review of a movie I recently saw.

2008’s interpretation of the 70’s cartoon “Speed Racer” was put on screen by Andy and Larry Wachowski. Their previous cinematic endeavors, as many may already know, include the Matrix trilogy. The Wachowski brothers were just the ones to bring this action/fantasy film to life: they have a proven record of being visually stunning. If nothing else, Speed Racer is that … on steroids! In the final analysis, it is the visual effects, the screenplay, and the moral to its story that make it a light-hearted movie worth seeing. I saw it tonight after Sarah and I signed our final escrow papers, we’re moving in a couple days. She was gracious enough to let me lose myself in a blog review after a long day, so here are a few notes I made about the film:

First, the visual effects. It’s kind of a cross between the Matrix and a flamboyant Tony the Tiger/Frosted Flakes commercial. It is an alternate reality where people live in homes from the 1950’s (sort of like the motif in The Incredibles and the retro homes there). The “track” Speed races on (Speed is played by Emile Hirsch) is the psychedelic translation of “Mario Kart” to the silver screen. I couldn’t help but wonder in the early parts of the film about how many kids might be in the theater on drugs “tripping out” on this movie and whether that might have been a target audience on some level. The colors and textures against an incredible soundtrack make the movie a “trip” whether you are on drugs or not. If you have a fun-loving attitude, the visuals alone will be worth the price of a ticket for you.

In addition to visual effects, the screenplay makes the movie memorable and entertaining. I really liked the story. John Goodman does a great job as the father/mentor figure. There are some really funny lines between the little brother and “Speed,” and again is reminiscent of the Incredibles the way the family interacts. I didn’t like Susan Sarandon as the mom. I think she was too old for the role. I kept thinking of Thelma and Louise when she came onscreen. Besides that, her emotional scenes, 2 or 3 as I recall, were totally overacted. Goodman looked as old as the hills but managed to pull off the dad role much better. Christina Ricci, by the way, plays a great Trixie (Speed’s love interest).

The screenplay makes the movie truly good because of its moral. After all the jokes and the interplay between characters that really works, it is the final moral that makes this movie worth watching multiple times and maybe even owning: “Don’t Cheat!” Being a teacher now going on 10 years, I can attest that this is the kind of moral we should be promoting to the kids of today.

To wrap it all up: I hated this movie until about halfway through. At that point I threw away my pre-judgments and started having fun. By the end I was a believer. I can say that if these three aspects appeal to you: visual effects, good screenplay, and a positive moral, then you will like this movie. Go see it with a lighthearted air and you will find it entertaining. Anybody else seen it? Interested in seeing it?