Tusk

Strange bizarre and unexpected, as old Mr. Ripley used to say. Everything I ever heard about this movie--even from the creator himself via his podcast--was that this one is a piece of shit. Imagine, then, my surprise in finding that this flick actually isn’t all that bad. It is eccentric, to be sure, but there’s plenty of solid movie-making here; apparently, Kevin Smith was not so baked at this poing that he couldn’t direct a competent flick. (No guarantees for today.) The most intriguing aspect of this strange work is the competing oddball performances by Johnny Depp and Michael Parks. They provide many layers of interest in their contributions, even if Depp's Quebecois accent has a habit of showing up and hiding in equal measures. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this a good movie, but...awful? No, not really. Just really, really weird. Too weird for most, but I think it works for a niche audience. There’s even, dare I say it, some intriguing philosophical musing at work here, which might just make this story something to ponder even after its running time has been spent. I guess it goes to show, from the most unpromising ground, sometimes something unique and intriguing can grow.