Why Citizen Duane?
Well for starters you've probably never heard of it. It's a Canadian film and even in Canada no one that I know knows about it at all. I rented it at my local video store and eventually bought it. Right now it sits on Rotten Tomatoes with only 40% however it's only been reviewed by 6 people. This doesn't bode well for it's comedy.
This brings the question of why I am recommending it. Citizen Duane is an independent comedy in the same vein as movies like Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine about a dysfunctional family. However ND and LMS all have people with quirks that are, in fact, lovable quirks and cute in their own way. There's something oddly sweet about Napoleon's drawings and really he's an overall likable guy.
Duane Balfour is different. He's a social outcast and there's a reason for that: he's picked on because he's weird and he's kind of an asshole. Citizen Duane really makes you root for Duane not because he's a great lovable guy but because, really, everyone else is just flat out more of an asshole than he is. Admittedly he does have his moments where you do genuinely care for him but instead of being a delicate broken flower wounded by his past, his wounded past turns him into an angry, vindictive jerk. It ads more realism for me to see someone as having flaws that are actually negative rather than having "flaws" which are in fact quirkily cute positives.
So what's the plot?
"Citizen Duane is a comedy/drama about Duane Balfour a teen-aged Don Quixote born into a family of spectacular failure. What starts as a simple schoolyard rivalry snowballs out of control when Duane decides to run for mayor of the tiny town of Ridgeway. If Duane is to succeed, he must not only overcome the powerful incumbents, but also his own inadequacies, public perception, and history itself." (From the back of the DVD box)
So why should I watch it?
First it's on Netflix and is streamable. Secondly because, quite frankly, it's funny. This is the self-depreciating black humour we see in independent films. While I wouldn't consider either Napoleon Dynamite or Little Miss Sunshine real black humour you could easily say this has the same style of comedy. Personally I just considered those films to be "OK" and not great. However Citizen Duane is far more humourous. So if you didn't like those I'd highly recommend you give this movie a go instead.
As far as recognizable actors there's Donal Logue, Vanessa Williams, Alberta Watson and Douglas Smith (who you may recognize from mediocre but funny in parts horror-comedy Santa's Slay). And honestly they're all quite good. I haven't seen Vanessa Williams since... Jesus Christ it must have been Independence Day and Donal Logue has been in some shit but here he's got a superb supporting role and he really delivers. The real highlight is Douglas Smith. He manages to portray Duane as someone that's been hurt and wants to lash out but simply has no avenue to inflict pain on anyone else. He's physically feeble and socially he's a reject which results in him coming up with more and more absurd ways of trying to assert himself.
How do you rank it doctor 7?
Currently it sits in my "Great" tier on Criticker with a score of 88/100 (so 9/10 I suppose).
Positively hilarious black comedy that offers a considerable amount that differentiates itself from the other comedies in the same genre. If you enjoy movies like Little Miss Sunshine you'll enjoy this one. It packs a solid script with an offbeat story. Combine this with great performances, Douglas Smith is especially hilarious in the title role of Duane and I found Donal Logue to be surprisingly good, and you've got a killer comedy. Worth seeing for sure.
Criticker Review Link
Previous Overlooked Films:
Open Range (9/10) | Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (7/10)