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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stark Raving Mad is an AWESOME film!, November 20, 2003
I have been looking for this one forever. I missed it in the theaters in the fall, but I was glad to see it on DVD. First of all, Seann Scott FINALLY proves he can act. So much so that we might be able to forgive him for Bulletproof Monk. AND - he finally breaks out of that Stifler mold, probably because he finally had a good script to work with. The producers and writers nailed this one. And speaking of producers -- this independent is brought to us by the guys who did Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, as well as Memento and Donnie Darko -- And Stark Raving Mad certainly lives up to it's predecessors. The film is neckjarringly fast and funny, and first time writer/directors David Schneider and Drew Daywalt make an unmistakably strong first impression of style and humor. The drawback to this film is that sometimes it is not sure if it wants to be a comedy or an action film, but that is also part of what makes it refreshing. It doesn't jam down your throat how you are supposed to feel as so many films do. The film's strong points are definitely its intense sense of direction and pacing, and outstanding performances, especially by Scott and newcomer Timm Sharp, whose Lenny and George-esque relationship really carries the film.The irony is not lost on the intelligent viewer that the robbery goes a lost smoother than the bank robbery that it is set up to cover. There's an insane DJ, ex-girlfriends, horny raver girls, undercover feds, drug dealers, Chinese gangsters. And as a bank robber, Seann's character is not qualified to deal with these petty, ordinary problems. Scott and Sharp do a convincing job playing compadres and the jeopardy they are in is at times, terrifying ( note the knife to the eyeball scene with the Chinese Gangsters). The pace and the comedy are nonstop, and it feels kind of like an American version of Snatch, but much funnier and with better characters. Along with a strong sense of visual intensity, the soundtrack is relentless and chunky, scored entirely by DJ John Digweed and Nick Muir. It really gives you the feel of being in a rave. Not since Human Traffic has there been such a successfully cool mix of film and dance music. This is a must rent and I give it four stars out of five. Peace.
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