I've been waiting and waiting for nearly a decade for my favorite film franchise, Teen Wolf, to actualize itself with a third installment, completing the trilogy it was always meant to be. Much thanks to a sweet Hollywood casting coup, the "Teen Wolf" in question, Lionel (all grown up), is played by Robert Downey Jr. Co-starring is Nicole Kidman as subversive photographer Diane Arbus and Lionel's nosy neighbor. This film is directed by Steven Shainberg, the director of Secretary so it has that indie vibe going for it but there is nothing indie about Lionel's blockbuster antics!
This third installment finds, Robert Downey Jr. filling the big lupine shoes vacated by Jason Bateman and Michael J Fox before him. In this prequel, Downey plays it for laughs as Lionel, a werewolf living and loving in New York City circa 1956. Lionel lives in a crummy apartment building and has the crummy job of being the building super. In one of the opening scenes he slips and falls is a puddle he's made while mopping the hallway. It's a classic prat fall/banana peel type slip, no doubt a skill Downey honed while researching his role as Charlie Chaplin. Lionel spends his days in seclusion, listening to the radio and making miniatures of the buildings residents out of chewed up paper towels. He also builds elaborate rattraps baited with human feces. Things get wacky when one night, under a full moon, Lionel gets a funny tingle in his spine. His face and body start to itch and he is surprised to find himself trying to scratch with his legs! Lionel rushes to the bathroom and is shocked to see in the mirror that his face is covered in silky black hair! Not just his face, but his whole body. He howls in dismay! He howls so loud and for so long that he eventually howls himself to sleep, little angel. He is awakened by a loud knock on the door. Pushy little Diane Arbus bursts in, "what's all this racket!?!" then a blistering scream! "What the?!?!". I think Nicole Kidman gets mad props for once again pushing the boundaries of physicality. She doesn't have a prosthetic nose or anything but I'm totally buying her as a tiny Jewish woman.
After getting over her initial shock, Diane asks Lionel if she can touch his face and he says that yes she may. This leads to, frankly, an inappropriately perverse sex scene that is totally at odds with the comedic romp tone that has been set. I'll not go into any details here but I would think twice before bringing any children or prudish adults to this film. During their post-coital reverie, Diane asks two big favors of Lionel. First she asks if he would be willing to sit for her as a photographer's model. She says this while lovingly stroking his densely pelted chest. The second favor is that she needs a partner for her bowling league since her husband can't be bothered. Lionel explains that he would be glad to pose for her but that he is no bowler. One more deeply disturbing sex scene unfolds and in the next post-coital shot Lionel agrees to bowl. WHAT A DOG!!
Well, I'll tell you what, Lionel may have been a terrible bowler before but watch out world because the power of the wolf is in full effect! Lionel and Diane get matching bowling outfits and hit the lanes in style. There is an AWESOME montage set to Hungry Like The Wolf (not period but very appropriate) where Lionel bowls over the competition! The rest of the league is made up of sundry freaks and miscreants. There's a giant, some trannies, a set of Siamese twins, obese nudists and a republican. I don't want to spoil the rest of this great movie for you. There is a big bowling tournament and then Diane has a big Gallery opening. Lionel stays furry and awesome, proves his meddle and saves more than one day! As an added treat there are cameo appearances by Jason Bateman as the stuffy Gallery owner and Stiles from the original teen wolf shows up as Lionel's Mexican midget sidekick. This uplifting and hilarious movie would be a treat for the whole family save for the icky sex mentioned earlier. For those who can get past the "Dirty Sanchez" et al, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus: Teen Wolf III: All Grown Up! is well worth the wait!
This third installment finds, Robert Downey Jr. filling the big lupine shoes vacated by Jason Bateman and Michael J Fox before him. In this prequel, Downey plays it for laughs as Lionel, a werewolf living and loving in New York City circa 1956. Lionel lives in a crummy apartment building and has the crummy job of being the building super. In one of the opening scenes he slips and falls is a puddle he's made while mopping the hallway. It's a classic prat fall/banana peel type slip, no doubt a skill Downey honed while researching his role as Charlie Chaplin. Lionel spends his days in seclusion, listening to the radio and making miniatures of the buildings residents out of chewed up paper towels. He also builds elaborate rattraps baited with human feces. Things get wacky when one night, under a full moon, Lionel gets a funny tingle in his spine. His face and body start to itch and he is surprised to find himself trying to scratch with his legs! Lionel rushes to the bathroom and is shocked to see in the mirror that his face is covered in silky black hair! Not just his face, but his whole body. He howls in dismay! He howls so loud and for so long that he eventually howls himself to sleep, little angel. He is awakened by a loud knock on the door. Pushy little Diane Arbus bursts in, "what's all this racket!?!" then a blistering scream! "What the?!?!". I think Nicole Kidman gets mad props for once again pushing the boundaries of physicality. She doesn't have a prosthetic nose or anything but I'm totally buying her as a tiny Jewish woman.
After getting over her initial shock, Diane asks Lionel if she can touch his face and he says that yes she may. This leads to, frankly, an inappropriately perverse sex scene that is totally at odds with the comedic romp tone that has been set. I'll not go into any details here but I would think twice before bringing any children or prudish adults to this film. During their post-coital reverie, Diane asks two big favors of Lionel. First she asks if he would be willing to sit for her as a photographer's model. She says this while lovingly stroking his densely pelted chest. The second favor is that she needs a partner for her bowling league since her husband can't be bothered. Lionel explains that he would be glad to pose for her but that he is no bowler. One more deeply disturbing sex scene unfolds and in the next post-coital shot Lionel agrees to bowl. WHAT A DOG!!
Well, I'll tell you what, Lionel may have been a terrible bowler before but watch out world because the power of the wolf is in full effect! Lionel and Diane get matching bowling outfits and hit the lanes in style. There is an AWESOME montage set to Hungry Like The Wolf (not period but very appropriate) where Lionel bowls over the competition! The rest of the league is made up of sundry freaks and miscreants. There's a giant, some trannies, a set of Siamese twins, obese nudists and a republican. I don't want to spoil the rest of this great movie for you. There is a big bowling tournament and then Diane has a big Gallery opening. Lionel stays furry and awesome, proves his meddle and saves more than one day! As an added treat there are cameo appearances by Jason Bateman as the stuffy Gallery owner and Stiles from the original teen wolf shows up as Lionel's Mexican midget sidekick. This uplifting and hilarious movie would be a treat for the whole family save for the icky sex mentioned earlier. For those who can get past the "Dirty Sanchez" et al, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus: Teen Wolf III: All Grown Up! is well worth the wait!