If I had made a movie about a homicidal, telekinetic tire named Robert, I’d probably be content to coast on that for the rest of my career, but not Quentin Dupieux. The French electronic musician also known as Dr. Mr. Oizo has been busy as hell, following up Rubber with Wrong, which stars Reno 911’s Jack Plotnick and Eastbound and Down‘s Steve Little, and hits VOD in March, and then following up Wrong with Wrong Cops, which stars Marilyn Manson and Eric Wareheim and previews its first 45 minutes at Sundance this week. I’m excited about both, and not just because it keeps someone from making more electronic music.
Wrong:
Dolph Springer (Reno 911’s Jack Plotnick) awakens one morning to find he has lost the sole love of his life – his dog, Paul. Desperate to reunite with his best friend and to set things right, Dolph embarks on a journey which spirals into the realm of the absurd. On his quest, he drastically alters the lives of several severely bizarro characters, including a promiscuous pizza delivery girl (Entourage’s Alexis Dziena), a mentally unstable, jogging-addicted neighbor, an opportunistic French-Mexican gardener, an eccentric pet detective (Steve Little of HBO’s Eastbound And Down) and most mysterious of all, an enigmatic pony-tailed guru, Master Chang (William Fichtner) who imparts his teachings to Dolph on how to metaphysically reconnect with his pet.
I feel like i have a spiritual connection to my dog’s poop, but only because I start every day picking it up with my hands. Hey, dog poop bag makers, do you think you could get working on a bag that doesn’t conduct heat? That would be great. Anyway, I never believe the quotes that tell you “THIS WILL MELT YOUR BRAIN AND SHOOT IT OUT YOUR DICK HOLE!” I mean, I’m sure it’s pleasantly odd, but I feel like people only say stuff like that because the usual idea of “weird” comedy is Seth Rogen wearing a dirtier shirt.
Wrong Cops:
Imagine a Los Angeles where crime is so low that a bored cop (Mark Burnham) sells drugs and harasses a teenager (Marilyn Manson) to pass the time. Shot in stand-alone chapters as it is being financed, screened, and released, Wrong Cops is gonzo filmmaking with a unique online strategy. Watch the first 45 minutes of craziness, and then dive into conversation with the cast and creative team.
“You Chinese people, you make me laugh. You’re really good salespeople, but for everything else you really are big dweebs.”
I wish more movie characters had never-referenced deformities. I mean, other than Cam Gigandet.