Posted
Sunday, April 27, 2008
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Beware of shady corporate samurais.It's no well-kept secret that everyone on this unholy planet is indirectly connected to a group of individuals who are either working on a full-length zombie feature or have just released their undead abomination on one wonky website or another. Depressing, dear readers, but very true. That said, Ryan Graham's thoughtful 2005 deadpan comedy Livelihood is a much-needed departure from the glut of like-minded fare that has found its way onto video store shelves as of late, giving cynical fans of this overcooked subgenre plenty of solid reasons to return to the proverbial fold. The film -- which plays like a sketch comedy version of the straightforward French drama Les Revenants -- tells the sordid tales of three recently deceased individuals who suddenly find themselves back in the wacky world of the living. For a microbudget production, Livelihood is surprisingly tight and well-executed, though some may take issue with the quality of the make-up effects, which often range from great to questionable. Thankfully, the molten core of the film is its well-written script, a nifty slab of dry wit in the grand tradition of The State, Mr. Show, and the audio-visual stylings of writer/director David Wain. Not everyone will truly appreciate the material, mind you, but fans of heartfelt humor with a twist of oddball kookiness will surely flock to this genuinely hilarious and surprisingly competent feature. And if you find yourself humming those strangely catchy Billy Jump songs for days at a time, rest assured that you're in good company. From the off-beat humor to its somewhat muddled social posturing, Livelihood is great fun from start to finish. The special edition DVD is well worth the slippery coinage, so swing over to the official homepage and scoop up a copy post-haste.
Recipe For Success: One Well-Written Script + Ryan Graham's Ability To Stretch A Budget + Billy Jump Lives!
If You're Low On Cash: Perhaps investing in a crypt-based business will help pad your wallet.
Just watch out for the deadbeats.
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The Film Fiend
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