Dick died last night, and Zeke and Earl don’t want anybody finding out how. That’s too bad though, cause news travels fast in small-town Alabama.
A24’s got a new movie. The premise is simple: Richard “Dick” Long dies mysteriously while out with his buddies. Instead of calling for help they drop him off outside the local ER, take his wallet, and pretend everything’s going to be okay. Dick dies. The Nurse calls the cops because his rectum was torn asunder leaving semen inside. The small-town cops investigate. What ensues is equal parts comedy of errors, character study, and blind leading the blind hilarious tragedy.
A movie as moronic as this should not be as good as it is. It’s a true feat to say the film never short-changes any single character. While the lunacy of Zeke and Early (our aforementioned idiots) shines brighter than any other character the film never rests on insult. Instead, we delve deeper into the minds of both of these characters as they struggle to keep it together. Surprisingly, it’s a deft work of acting on everyone’s behalf.
Director Daniel Scheinert acknowledged the veracity to the film in his Q&A. He explained that everything they showed had to exist in real life. While parodic in nature, he chose to portray complex characters. Yes, they’re Alabama backwoods idiots but they’re humans too. Michael Abbott Jr. receives the lion’s share of the screen time delivering a powerhouse performance. Virginia Newcomb adds so much to the film I almost want a sequel delving into her life following the events of this movie. Add in Andre Hyland as Abbott’s counterpart for some truly inspiring buddy moments. Finally mix in guest actor appearances from Roy Wood Jr., Sunita Mani (of Netflix’s “Glow”), and Sarah Baker for a cast of commendable additions.
I can’t give away too much because the reveal in the film really does change everything. You all deserve to be both shocked and uncomfortable and still laugh. I won’t spoil it. Instead, allow me to say: “The Death of Dick Long” is One Long Dick joke. You’ll know it when you hear it. It’ll change the way you perceived the events before the turn and the rest of the movie hinges on it.
The film’s center of gravity never shifts from a loving portrayal of Alabama (the director’s home.) The cinematography focuses directly on the film incorporating natural lighting. The camera slowly destabilizes over the course of the movie as Zeke/Earl’s world falls apart. The art department clearly constructed a real-life Alabama setting.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Many in the theater didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. I laughed. These characters are complex people with genuine emotions. They’re not criminals. They’re just dumb. The cops’ incompetency adds to the sense of a crime film. Ultimately, I’ll recommend people go see this movie, if only for the laughs. I hope they come away with an appreciation for middle America Alabama country folks. Barring all that I have to add: this movie has the single best use of Nickelback I’ve ever seen in a movie. Go enjoy it for that alone!
“The Death of Dick Long” recently premiered at Fantastic Fest and hits theaters September 27th
