Flypaper [Blu-ray]

On paper, this comedy caper, Clue-esque whodunit reads as a nasty, R-rated black comedy with no regard for the rules of the genre, inexplicably killing off main characters and tossing out the occasional C-word. Seemingly, it was envisioned as an ersatz Very Bad Things, only shifting the focus from brain-dead Republican breeders to the world of heists and bank robberies when two different sets of criminals (one sophisticated, one incompetent) attempt to rob the same bank at the same time. And while the sheer propulsion, constant plot twists and abundance of impropriety should make this black comedy work, despite the casting of Patrick Dempsey as a pseudo-autistic genius off his meds and Ashley Judd as a sassy, unflappable bank teller, something about the tone leaves everything feeling awkward. This likely comes from director Rob Minkoff's (Stuart Little, The Haunted Mansion) vision, which is stylistically non-existent and exceedingly cartoonish. Since explosions literally leave characters with black smoke on their face and burnt shirts, not unlike the sort of film that would feature a talking golden retriever, it feels weird when characters tell each other to "fuck off" or shoot each other in the face. Similarly, the broad backwoods interpretation of incompetent bank robbers Peanut Butter and Jelly by Tim Blake Nelson and Pruitt Taylor Vince brings a degree of goofiness that suggests a youthful target demographic, much like the tepid handling of violence. If Minkoff had embraced the nastiness of the script, or toned down the crude dialogue and sexual innuendo, Flypaper could have appealed quite successfully to a set audience. As it stands, it's hard to know just whom this film is intended for or who might have any appreciation for it. There are some amusing one-liners about dying on a toilet and preferable mental illnesses, but most of the work flails with tonal inconsistency and an exceedingly convoluted plot. The Blu-Ray comes without any supplemental material, aside from a few sound bites, which is standard for straight-to-DVD efforts.