Victor Goodview

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Audience Member Regular comedy makes you laugh. Black comedy makes you think. Scatological comedy makes you squirm and say "ewww" and wonder to what lengths talented young filmmakers must go to get the attention that will lead to a career. "Victor Goodview" is a bleak comedy that darkens deeply toward tragedy. It's also a remarkably adept creation of a peculiar time, place and character - none of which are made to look the slightest bit appealing. Think of David Lynch visiting a slummy New York suburb and a clueless schlemiel and you have some idea of the mood. For writer-director Vincent Turturro, this story about a shuffling schlub is an admirable calling card - a bid for bigger budgets and broader canvases. Ably assisted by surprisingly skilled young actors and crew members, Turturro takes us into a grimy world of losers, hustlers, addicts and thieves. He finds humor in their casual acceptance of poor circumstances, reflected in dialogue that is often smarter and sharper than the rundown characters might deserve. The story centers on Victor, a real schlub, as my mom would say. He's a complete sad sack - disheveled, asocial, a victim of society's indifference and his own inability to cope or empathize. His mental acuity is, um, somewhat diminished, but he's bright enough to know he needs a job. Oh, yeah, he's constipated. This may be the first film to focus on a guy's bathroom issues. Toilet humor this is not. You're thinking of Dumb & Dumber perhaps. This is grotesque, vivid toilet immersion in the psyche of a dolt who is literally full of crap. But wait. Don't walk out. Turturro has more to offer than barf-worthy anal noises. For starters, Winston Shaw makes an impressive feature debut as the hapless Victor - an alcoholic petty thief with equally dismal hygienic and dietary habits. As he meanders from one personal failure to another, we can't help feeling a tinge of pity. Shaw carries the weight of the script on his stooped shoulders - he's in nearly every scene and maintains a sort of cosmic innocence through the most vile and demeaning episodes. Lucy Peterson gives a bitter standout performance as a woman whose rough life shows no signs of smoothing out. Kenny Borland, another newcomer, does sterling duty as the pal who wants to help - but first he must get insanely high Cinematographer and film editor Jerome Rain sustains a strong sense of life among the downtrodden in Yonkers NY. Outsiders think anything in Westchester County is plush. These young filmmakers know the turf more intimately, and they show us the blue-collar underbelly of a town not yet fully gentrified. The lovable-loser theme is too often overwhelmed in pools of piss and blood, piles of poop and vomit. But if you're an indie film fan and can appreciate the technique of upstarts on a shoestring, you'll be watching to see what these filmmakers come up with next. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Victor Goodview

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