This is a 2011 movie I've discussed long ago. While not as over the moon for it as I was...
Another review I am doing over; this time a revisit made me give this a more realistic rating. An explanation is listed: way back when I first heard the plot announced, it sounded like a movie made exactly for me: something which ranted and raved about the many problems with society, chiefly rude A-holes. I’m with you, Bobcat Goldthwait. Yeah, it was funny to me at the time that the dude who played those bizarre characters in Hot to Trot and the Police Academy films made such a movie-this was before viewing World’s Greatest Dad… which was before I signed up for Letterboxd so one day I need to review that here.
Once viewing this at Orlando’s arthouse joint, it was something I was over the moon for-this was seemingly a movie written by me! Lead Joel Murray is mad at the world due to such factors as work, the rudeness of others, and the total rot that is found in pop culture because of television (“reality” or right-wing) the Internet, shock jocks, morning radio DJ’s, etc. He receives a terminal diagnosis from his doctor and eventually meets the psychotic teenager played by Tara Lynne Barr. They both decide to… kill people! Many rude people are gunned down, including Troglodytes who act horribly at the cinema.
Truth be told, I was reminded of the movie when a few days ago at a Taco Bell there was an ogre w/ her kids who had her phone on at full volume in a crowded restaurant. I really wanted to say something but that confrontation could have turned awry so discretion was probably the right move—but I tell that to illustrate how God Bless America seems almost quaint by 2025 standards. Many are upset over some awful things happening in the United States-griping about TMZ-style programs seems unnecessary in comparison.
American society has backslid by quite a bit in the past decade or so; people are just rude and inconsiderate now. Politics is a big reason why (even at the time, I wish that Bobcat would have mentioned how crooked ALL of cable news is and how it’s all entertainment, not just Fox News) and so is all the events of 2020. I don’t gripe about life in general elsewhere like I used to but what’s wrong with the United States now is far worse than it was back when I loathed (and still do) “reality” TV, the Kardashians, Miley Cyrus, TMZ, etc.
On that cheery note… I get why many don’t care for the film. There is “text” instead of “subtext,” characters frequently yell or are otherwise angry, the dialogue is full of soliloquies, the idea of murdering people (no matter how awful) is too uncomfortable for them, a gag involving a screaming baby in the opening is too dark for their tastes, etc. There are legit criticisms to be made; that noted, I still enjoy the film. Not to sound misanthropic but I still agree with most of the points Bobcat made at the time. While some may perceive the ultimate mission statement of “being kind to one another” as naïve, it’s a message that especially resonates today.
A picture this caustic will never be too all tastes; I was happy to finally give God Bless America a better, more accurate review/rating. Joel Murray delivering a quality performance probably wasn’t too surprising; only because of experience or a lack thereof, Tara Lynne Barr was a revelation as teen girl Roxy. I couldn’t tell you why Goldthwait hasn’t done much in the fictional movie landscape after the found-footage Willow Creek (he directs standup specials instead) but I wish he would have made more bold movies like this or World’s Greatest Dad.
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