I'm Reed Fish

Director: Zachary Adler
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Alexis Bledel, Schuyler Fisk, D.J. Qualls, Katey Segal, Victor Rasuk, A.J. Cook, Chris Parnell, Shiri Appleby
Running Time: 93 min. Rating: PG

**1/2 (out of ****)

Spoiler Warning! This review gives away a major plot twist, although it comes pretty early in the film. Still, I felt I should warn you.

Sometimes when a film is given a very limited theatrical release then shortly thereafter appears on DVD it's an ominous sign. Nothing would make me happier than to tell you that's not the case with I'm Reed Fish, an autobiographical film written by Reed Fish. This movie hasn't gotten much attention and I'm about to give it some, but not likely the kind it wants. While this isn't exactly a bad film, it doesn't even come close to everything it could have been. And it KILLS ME to say that. It kills me because it would be hard for you to find three actors I like more than the co-stars of this movie. When you have talent like this in your movie and deliver anything that falls short of pure greatness it's a hint that something really went terribly wrong. The nicest thing I can say about I'm Reed Fish is that it misfires in an interesting and bizarre way I've never seen before and at least has the decency to do it with gusto. You can't really hate it despite its many problems because its ambitions are too pure and its heart is in the right place. Bigger budgeted movies with nowhere near as lofty goals have fallen farther and harder than this does.

The film touches on an important point, but badly. The notion that we've all wondered what it would be like if our lives were turned into a movie. Within the first fifteen to twenty minutes comes a major twist, the presence of which nearly destroys the film. The camera pulls back to reveal that we, along with the other members of the cast are watching a movie within a movie. A movie made by Reed Fish about Reed Fish. It may seem like I'm giving away a major plot development, but I'm actually not. Curiously, director Zachary Adler throws it in almost as if it's a brief aside and we're supposed to go back to the story as if we haven't at all been distracted by it. I think it's fantastic (even inspirational) that someone wants to write their life story and I urge everyone to do it. Just make me one promise. If you do, please don't pause in the middle to congratulate yourself.

Reed Fish (Jay Baruchel) is a 23 year-old radio D.J. in his small, folksy hometown of Mud Meadows. He's taken the job from his dad who's passed away and now feels the burden of having to follow in his footsteps. The opening scene sees Reed awakened by the on-air voice of his show's co-host (and town's mayor) Maureen (Married With Children's Katey Segal) and stumbling across the lawn in his boxers to make it to work. This is a guy who's even late for his own show. Mud Meadows is a town where everyone knows everyone else's business and all their dirty laundry is aired on Reed's show. He's the arbitrator of disputes and the go-to guy for all the latest news in the neighborhood. Unfortunately for him, a fast-paced news day would include an old man getting a flat tire and the reappearance of an animal called a "zorse," which is exactly what you think it is. I'm willing to forgive the fact that he isn't a very good D.J. since I'm not too sure he's even supposed to be one. He's all this town's got and basically just inherited the job (and a lot of cash) from his father.

Engaged to be married to the beautiful Kate Peterson (Alexis Bledel) Reed's mundane existence is turned upside-down with the reappearance of ex-high school flame Jill Cavanuagh (Schuyler Fisk). She's returned home from college with aspirations of becoming a singer and her arrival slowly, but unintentionally, causes a shake up in Reed and Kate's relationship. That isn't too difficult considering Reed has little desire to get married and is nagged constantly by Kate about wedding plans. An incident in the past plays a role in tying Reed to Kate and fostering a sense of obligation in him toward this community, as much as it hampers his own happiness. You should be warned in advance that this movie continues the developing trend in Hollywood these days of beautiful women falling for dorks. Coming to the realization that these actors can vicariously fulfill the wishes of a large population of the male ticket buying audience, the studios have made sure the days of any above average looking actor headlining a romantic comedy are over.

If you thought Seth Rogen with Katherine Heigel in Knocked Up was a stretch wait until you see this. That's not a criticism though. As long is the actor makes the character likeable and worth rooting for (which Baruchel clearly does) then I don't have a problem with it. Things like that can happen in real life and I actually do like the shift of more real looking people headlining movies because it given a wider variety of talented actors and actresses a chance. Everyone can't look like Brad Pitt or Halle Berry and shouldn't be punished because they don't, especially if they have considerably more talent.

It's clear the movie is setting itself up to play like a junior version of 2006's The Last Kiss, but with quirky comedy thrown in. Much like that movie the "other woman" is being thrown in as a temptation and a device to have the protagonist reevaluate the direction of his life. Also, like that film, she's not presented as a scheming slut, but rather an intelligent person with real feelings. Here, she's by far the most interesting character in the film. Except that's kind of a problem. Whereas something like The Last Kiss presented a similar dilemma as an impossible choice the results of which would alter the protagonist's universe, this one is an uneven match up. There's no doubt at all who he should pick.

The character of Kate is unintentionally presented as an annoying nag. This fact wouldn't be newsworthy if she was played by anyone else other than Alexis Bledel. That's right this movie takes sweet, adorable, angel faced Alexis Bledel and makes her not only unlikable, but someone no guy would have any interest in spending any time with, much less marrying! Think about that for a second. It's quite an accomplishment. Still, that may have been the point. I'm not sure. There is still the detail that ties Reed and Kate that I've intentionally left out. As a huge Schuyler Fisk fan I suppose I should be throwing a party that she nearly wipes the floor with Bledel, but strangely I can't. Bledel deserved much better than this. It could even be considered false advertising that she prominently appears on the DVD cover (which is awful by the way). Gilmore Girls fans checking this out for her will be disappointed as Baruchel and Fisk carry the movie while she's hung out to dry. Criticizing Bledel's performance would be unfair since she had very little to work with. Just beefing up that character at the screenplay stage would have really helped the story resonate at a much deeper level. At the very least, it would have made his decision seem more important.

A scene comes late in the film where Kate finds out the truth from Reed. How it unfolds and how she handles the information felt so real. It offers a giant tease of where this film could have gone. Unfortunately, it's followed later by a scene in the kitchen that feels like it belongs in another movie. Reed behaves so erratically and inconsistently it's like he's been possessed by an alien. When he's asked, "Are you insane?" that question could have easily been directed at the real Reed Fish, the screenwriter of this movie. He does make his choice by the end of the film. I think. I say, "I think" because the self-referential device of this movie within a movie returns to rear its ugly head at the end just when it's most unwanted.

Why would the movie want to tell us that Jill, a character that was well-developed and we actually cared about, was being played by an actress? And why would we want to see another actress (Shiri Appleby) come in late in the film as "the real Jill" and try to tackle the role unnecessarily. All that does is serve to remind us how strong Fisk played her. What's worse is when "the real Kate" also shows up her version is EVEN BLANDER than the one Bledel played! Unless they were trying to make a point that "real people" are rarely as interesting as the actors playing them, they can't recast them during the film and expect us to have the same emotional reaction to the material. It just doesn't work. The best entertainment allows us to escape with the story and the characters. That's difficult to do when someone's onscreen constantly reminding us what we're watching is fake, but great anyway. Imagine if during The Departed Leo's character asks Marty if he thinks they should do another take. That gives you a good idea of what happens here. This isn't just "breaking the fourth wall," it's tearing down the entire house.

I may be guilty of making this movie sound more interesting than it actually is, but it's probably a compliment to Reed Fish that I'm this worked up about a low budget indie that was shot over the span of 18 days. I probably wouldn't be so upset about the missteps if I didn't at least care somewhat about the characters and the story. To its credit, the movie does a good job capturing small town life and does have something important to say, even if it chooses to deliver it in a bizarre way. It's very strange how certain jokes in the movie are delivered and certain scenes appear to go nowhere. I couldn't tell if this was done intentionally because we're supposed to be watching a movie within a movie or they were actual flaws within the script.

There are times where the film seems to be almost mocking itself, but I was never really completely sure. I'm not quite comfortable comparing it to Napoleon Dynamite, but in its depiction of whacky small town existence the closest approximation to what this looks and feels like would probably be the 2005 Johnny Knoxville film, Daltry Calhoun. Thankfully though, Baruchel is infinitely more likeable than Knoxville. The rest of it kind of plays like the illegitimate child of The Truman Show and Elizabethtown.

Since this is a small town there has to be "quirky" supporting characters, the quirkiest of which is a nerdy store cashier with an unhealthy "high-five" obsession (He's played somewhat irritatingly by D.J. Qualls). Saturday Night Live's Chris Parnell cameos as the local bartender, while Victor Rasuk (The Lords of Dogtown) gives a good, low-key performance as the producer of Reed's radio show. Amazingly, none of these characters feel thrown in and they mesh pretty well with the story. Supposedly this movie was a hit on independent festival circuits even garnering Baruchel a Best Actor award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. It's not hard to see why as this is a good starring vehicle for him and he effortlessly carries the film. Best known for starring in the brilliant but short-lived television series Undeclared and appearing in this summer's Knocked Up, he'll have plenty of opportunities to star in better movies considering he's a card carrying member of Judd Apatow's talented troupe of comic actors.

Sometimes I'm asked if a movie is "good" or "bad." Messy movies like this highlight what a stupid question that is. When I ejected the DVD I was sure I hated it, yet had this crazy burning desire to watch it again. It's the kind of movie that could become a cult curiosity because it has such a unique vibe to it. Having your own life turned into a movie is an inspiring and amazing accomplishment and the real Reed Fish (who cameos at the end off the film) should be very proud of himself. However I'd prefer the celebration not come during the actual film. That Baruchel and Fisk nearly save this whole thing is no small feat.

It may seem mean picking on a low budget movie with this much heart that touches on something that really resonates but I do it only because I know greatness was within this movie's grasp and feel it's my civic duty to inform everyone that these three actors deserve nothing less. Any one of them are capable of carrying any mainstream Hollywood picture and probably will in the future. There's an interview with the real Reed Fish on the DVD and he talks about how this movie made his life look a lot more exciting than it really was. While that may initially seem like a scary thought, it should give hope to those who wish to write about their own lives.