Product Details

• Actors: Michael Rapaport
• Directors: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: March 31, 2009
• Run Time: 81 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001MYIXAM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,238 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Special" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Les franken is a kind-hearted and soft-spoken man who loves reading comic books. Everything changes for les when he is accepted into an experimental drug study. Studio: Magnolia Pict Hm Ent Release Date: 03/31/2009 Starring: Michael Rapaport Run time: 82 minutes Rating: R

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rappaport doesn't disappoint., April 4, 2009

By 

P. Fulbright (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Special (DVD)

Anyone who is a fan of Michael Rappaport is sure to love this movie but even if you aren't a known fan of his, this movie has a lot to offer.

I would suggest not reading too much about the plot because honestly I felt the way they promoted this movie was right, they just stuck to telling you he takes an experimental drug and gets super powers. But the synopsis on just about every site out there spoils a fairly early "twist" and I ddon't see any reason for it.

Without giving much away this movie has a lot of really nice "human" moments. Those moments that most people out there can really connect to the character with. Some are funny, some are sad, some are just plain strange.

But one thing this movie doesn't do is disappoint.

If you are unsure, either download it from Amazon Unbox or rent the movie from your preferred renter, but definitely give this movie a shot, you may find, like me, that it will make a spot on your DVD shelf to call it's home.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Quirky, strange but interesting, December 27, 2009

By 

Stephen Ashley "Author of Walt Disney World w... (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Special (DVD)

I don't want to give details here because it would spoil the movie for you. I just want to say that this was an interesting, creative movie. It wasn't at all what I expected from reading the DVD cover. There was a twist I can't go into detail about without giving a spoiler. Regardless, I found myself very interested all the way through. Watching this movie was kind of like working on a puzzle, and the viewer has to solve it. The lead actor was excellent and the story was, well... strange but intriguing. I don't know anything about the behind the scenes issues with this movie, but I'd guess it was low budget, independent film because of the style of shooting and the quirkiness of the story. I would say that this would be a movie to rent if you have already seen those on the top of your list.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's not easy being a superhero..., April 28, 2009

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Special (DVD)

"Special"
(Magnet Films, 2009)
-----------------------------------
This is an intense, and rather depressing film about a mild-mannered Joe Schmoe (wonderfully played by Michael Rapaport) who thinks he has tapped into his hidden superpowers after he takes part in an experimental drug program. Is what he experiences real or not? Well, the film actually answers this question immediately: he is in fact delusional, but because his delusions involve a sense of power and invulnerability, he soon places himself in great physical danger.

Rapaport is quite good in this role, giving a moving, multi-layered performance, and he is generally matched by his supporting cast. (Particularly strong are his schlubby friends, who own a comicbook store -- their reactions to the announcement that their friend has superpowers is *not* what you'd expect.) Although towards the finish, this film becomes unrelentingly bleak and harsh, it is an interesting exploration of the psychology and mythology of "specialness" which pervades American culture. Are we all special? Should we hope to be? Here's one perspective that you might not have seen before... And certainly a strong role for Rapaport, whose puppy-dog qualities have seldom been used so well. (Joe Sixpack, Slipcue film blog)