Welcome to the bizarre universe of PLASTIC UTOPIA, a dark and vicious comedy from the dynamic team of David and Nathan Zellner! In a world where moral corruption and prosperity go hand-in-hand, James is out of his element. He's unpopular, whiny and cranky, not to mention a second-rate street mime fond of belittling his audience. James longs for a life or reckless abandon, much like that of his unscrupulous roommate Frank Feldspar - a thief, murderer, and a professional poet who is loved by all. James enthusiastically embraces the lifestyle of a hardened criminal, and he teams up with frank for a daring armed robbery. But the bungled heist ends in disaster, and James finds himself even more hated than before. Alienated and depressed, he plans one final act of social terrorism that will bring him the fame he so desperately craves...or will it?
5 Reviews
Utopia Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
paulseileriv15 November 2006
I absolutely LOVED this film. I thought it was hilarious, especially when we see corduroy boy. Corduroy boy is by far one of my favorite characters of all time. This film has so many CLASSIC characters that everyone should know about. So many character that made me laugh through and through. The film seems very low-budget, but has the foundation of a great story. With a little more fine tuning and a larger budget, this could be a great box office hit. Can we say, "re-make?" Seriously, some time down the road, I would pay to see a remake of this. Especially since I love this original SO MUCH. Thank YOU Plastic Utopia, a mime really IS a terrible thing to waste.
It's just so very weird and pretty.
Kino Jerk18 April 1999
The Zellner's create a consistently beautiful and strange world of absurdist comedy. An important film in its own right, its unconventional "hero", a mime, seeks to maraud all the cute little people of his world and show them just how ugly it can be. I have never seen another film like this.
By no means is it heavy-handed or consciously arty, either. Plot is taken very seriously, which lends itself well to the madcap characters and garish surroundings. The first 15 minutes of the film acquaint you to the freakish logic and humor of this world.
As the movie opens, James (the mime) is a wreck because no one appreciates his violent and nihilistic mime performances. Because he's so bitter and seeks release from the shallow world, Frank (his outlaw companion), offers to take him into a world of crime. From here on out, the comedy of failure settles in as James tries to accommodate himself to Franks world of trashy women, casual violence, and putt-putt golf.
Working on a stiff low-budget, the film shows a lot of creative promise and talent. Very unique. The Zellner's get props for charting new territory. Only something like this could come from their heads. Damn funny film, too.
By no means is it heavy-handed or consciously arty, either. Plot is taken very seriously, which lends itself well to the madcap characters and garish surroundings. The first 15 minutes of the film acquaint you to the freakish logic and humor of this world.
As the movie opens, James (the mime) is a wreck because no one appreciates his violent and nihilistic mime performances. Because he's so bitter and seeks release from the shallow world, Frank (his outlaw companion), offers to take him into a world of crime. From here on out, the comedy of failure settles in as James tries to accommodate himself to Franks world of trashy women, casual violence, and putt-putt golf.
Working on a stiff low-budget, the film shows a lot of creative promise and talent. Very unique. The Zellner's get props for charting new territory. Only something like this could come from their heads. Damn funny film, too.
Superb absurdist parable
madmab39 October 2001
Talk about willing suspension of disbelief! Plastic Utopia uses rebellious mimes, street-fighting thugs, and badly-dressed asylum inmates to examine and bust apart all the societal norms we hold dear. There are some killer one-liners and some hilarious moments, but overall this movie blows me away because of its razor-sharp satire. A lot for a little low-budget flick. Check it out. Tell your pals. It's a great one.
The best film of my lifetime!
frtified16 October 1998
I never laughed so hard in public before. Everyone should jump on the Plastic Utopia bandwagon! Write to your local video-store, film critic, congressman, and tell them to make this film known!
The Zellner Brothers are pure geniuses!
The Zellner Brothers are pure geniuses!
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