God Bless America [Blu-ray]

I like Bobcat Goldthwait. He's smart, he's funny, and he's opinionated. I like all of those things, and even when I disagree with him, I still like seeing what he's up to whether it be in stand up or directing a new movie. As a writer and director Goldthwait has improved dramatically over the years, and this is a very well made movie that is an impressive creative achievement, even though I do quibble with one of its premises. As Bobcat explains in one of the (excellent) extras, the film is about "a liberal with a gun" and is "a call for kindness." I agree with him on both accounts, and appreciate the fight Goldthwait wages against rampant materialism, societal ugliness and irresponsibility, and narcissism. These are completely valid targets for a satire and wry cultural commentary, and Bobcat excels at skewering these excesses mostly through the technique of mocking reality shows which here are thinly disguised counterparts of actual televised atrocities (e.g. "American Superstarz.")The protagonists, Frank (Joel Murray) and Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) have had enough with society and take out miscreants one jerk at a time in a wicked killing spree. Most of this is directed against reality star Chloe, her awful family, and the like, but the added theme is that the political right is a key underpinning of the lack of civility with typical xenophobia and oil company propaganda masquerading as genuine political positions and news stories with captions like "Tea Party Members Assault Parkinson's Sufferer." I would be curious how many of the producers in Hollywood behind the reality shows he skewers so well are Fox News acolytes. (I'm guessing none.) I am not defending the likes of Sean Hannity here (he can defend himself just fine, and I haven't watched him since Alan Colmes left,) but I guess Bobcat missed Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthew's venom over the last decade or so. Bobcat is welcome to make any political point he wishes of course (it's his movie,) but it's fair to point out the philosophical disconnect that if he's arguing that reality shows and popular culture are making the US a meaner country (I believe they are and completely agree with the premise, by the way,) he is blaming the wrong side of the political fence for this problem, rendering the plea in the film that "there's no right or wrong" anymore moot. In the film's climax Frank makes a valid criticism that "America has become a cruel and vicious place. We reward the shallowest, the dumbest, the meanest, and the loudest." That is completely true on reality television, and as I have stated I think it's not only to the key to the film, it's a genuine societal concern. What gets lost in this vision though is that reality television isn't reality.Having explained my philosophical differences with the film let me tell you why I liked it. It's extraordinarily well acted and directed. Camera work is excellent throughout, and the ambience of the film makes the characters sympathetic despite their deeply sociopathic crimes. Although I don't agree with all his positions, I do think Goldthwait's "call for kindness" (as odd as that may sound given the context) is brilliantly written and makes excellent points about American pop culture; I'm glad he made them, as he can do so with more nuance than most. The extras are also superior: the interviews are golden with a few hidden gems emerging: see Bobcat explain why "Oliver Stone has the sense of humor of a Vulcan," and why he wants to get a merkin for his eyebrows, among many other humorous diversions.This movie will not be for everyone, but if you loathe reality television and have no objection to satirical violence with a point, I recommend it to all open-minded viewers.

I wonder why it had so limited theatrical release. It is fun to watch, it has guns, a lot of shooting, a lot of good jokes, etc. It has all ingredients of a blockbuster except of zillions of computer generated images. But 15 years ago there was almost no CGI. It also contains some legitimate critique of the American society. But its US gross box office is $122,029.00 and it was never shown on more than 15 screens. More or less nobody had a chance to see it in a theater.There are not only guns, but also knives and killings and a lot of blood. All this is to be taken at the same time lightly and seriously. The main characters, Frank and Roxy, kill only bad guys, but for them the bad guys are not the usual blockbuster villains, but fairly common people. If you cannot stand a lot of blood, stay away from this movie. The same if need a traditional "happy end".There are flaws. All prolonged moralizing speeches by Frank should be cut out. Such things should be implied or just hinted at by a few words. All current politics should be eliminated. The left-wing slant should be avoided even if the intended audience is left-leaning, although one can enjoy the movie independently of what party one likes more. Instead of the satirical version of the TV programming the real programming could be used. Actually, all this still can be done, and some director's cut can be released.What this movie is about? It is definitely not about a killing spree of a middle-aged man and a teenager, although it is fun enough as just such movie. In an extra on Blu-ray the director said that it is wrong to compare this movie with "Falling down" (with Michael Douglas), as it is often done. "Falling down" is about an insecure, threatened man; Frank is neither, and this is what makes the movie funny.For me, this movie is about a person who lived long enough to be fed up with the society, and cannot take it anymore. It may happen with a middle-aged man, with a teenage girl, or may never happen. Still, it looks like a lot of people are fed up. The only unrealistic assumption of the movie is that they act out their discontent in an very bizarre way, but the movie is not realistic in the first place.There is an old French movie about the same issue, "Démons de midi" by Christian Paureilhe (1979). The storyline is quite similar, but there are no such flaws as mentioned, despite "God bless America" is a comedy, and "Démons de midi" isn't. It is hardly accessible now (I am sure that the same fate waits "God bless America"). I wonder if the writer-director is aware of "Démons de midi". Is "God bless America" is simply a sort of remake of "Démons de midi"? Or different people come to these troubling ideas independently?Tara Lynn Barr plays Roxy with charming spontaneity and joy. Joel Murray plays Frank a little bit heavy, but I cannot tell who is at fault, he or the script.Highly recommended, both as a pure entertainment and as an occasion to think if something is wrong about all of us (not just in America, "Demons of the South" is a witness). Do not miss the extras on the Blu-ray.

A middle aged man irritated by modern America goes on a killing spree with a foul mouthed 16yr old girl he randomly meets, after he loses his job and is diagnosed as having a brain tumour.Mostly his violence and vitriol is aimed at reality TV, hate mongers, selfish people, irritating people found in cinemas and people who hi-five in public..Generally satirical, GBA is mostly a comedy with occasional bursts of bloody violence. If you take it for what it is then it's plenty of fun, sure it gets a bit ranty and runs out of steam on the way to it's inevitably nihilistic finale, but if you just go along for the ride it's enjoyable enough.I thought it was a bit like Super crossed with... oh I dunno, Badlands?!Perfect for people who think a lot of modern culture and media type stuff (Reality TV, celebrity etc) is the spawn of the devil.I was very disappointed that they didn't kill people for making 'Hand Hearts'.. This particularly annoys me, and when I buy my AK47 from Easy Andy those people will be the first against the wall come the revolution.The UK dvd print is as one would expect for a modern picture. Bare bones disc though.4/5

This brilliant film is in the `Falling Down' genre, but is all about modern America or more correctly society and how it has gone south in the being nice and decent department. Frank has landed in middle age, he is divorced, has a daughter who would have been great in `The Exorcist', without coaching, neighbours that have taken `red neck' and made it their own, a job he gets fired from and his doctor has just told him he is going to die.As he contemplates not wanting to live he gets pushed over the edge by a reality TV show where a spoilt rich girl gets to be on prime time just because she is rich, pretty and a total biatch. So he drives down to where she is for some not so random justice. That is where he meets Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) and she wants to join him in killing as many people as they can who, quite simply, deserve to die. When you start to think of the categories of people that fit into that, not so exclusive `death list, it actually become a big job. Frank is just tired of reality television, selfish, rude people, the right wing single issue politics and pure toxicity of the moronic pop culture that is ruling and ruining the world, and God bless him for that. She hates high fives, racists, homophobes and religious bigots, plus a few more that she can enunciate with the language of a street walker - brilliant.This is funny, intelligent, well acted and just a great ride. Joel Murray (`The Artist') is outstanding as Frank, the reluctant gun wielding guy, just asking people to be nice to each other. The soundtrack is great too with a lot of original material for the film, and it all hangs together brilliantly. Check out the end credits too where we have a credit to `Boy who gets shot in movie theatre # 2' and `Pancake eating pedophile' (sic), if that don't prove what a messed up work of genius this is, then I think nothing will.There is gore, there is swearing, there are serious issues and there is wanton murder, so if any of that floats your boat, then you should get yourself a copy of this superb film. Highly recommended.

God Bless America is about a guy called Frank who is told he is dying of a brain tumour.He decides to kill off annoying & nasty people & some involved in TV reality shows.After his first kill he gets an accomplice in the form of a teenage girl. Together they kill a few folk before he leaves her.They team up again for a blistering finale.Well worth watching in my humble opinion.

I have given this five stars due to the reality fans who have done this down, otherwise it would be 4, love this film but the US media in all its forms requires anti hero's to fail in the end.Its one man's fight, he picks up a misanthrope school girl as partner, killing the rude, mean and ignorant. Frank does not revel in the deaths but like recycling he does what's necessary to make the environment better. Roxy a product of her exposure p l says like a wild card but masterfully acted and directed. If you don't like this or can't understand why any person gets killed for their actions then I pity your taste but not your death.

If the cult of celebrity, bad manners, invasive technology, in fact everything that is wrong with modern society drives you mad, then this is the film for you, Joel Murray plays a killer that you just have to root for, if your the type that admire people like Paris Hilton and cling to your tablet/mobile like a security blanket then you probably won't find yourself laughing at the murders of societies most shallow individuals, loved it.