The Death of Dick Long (2019) User Reviews

Oh what a tangled web...

[aarpcats · 6/10 · 9 January 2022]

This movie was inspired by an actual event that took place, not in Alabama, but in Enumclaw, Washington. (Should you want to see this documentary, it's called "Zoo.") Billy Chew apparently thought Alabama, which itself has been the location of lots of strange activity, would be a funnier place for the film.

My family is from Alabama, as is Daniel Scheinert, the director of the film. Some of them would think the movie is hilarious, and recognize themselves in the relationships between the slacker men and smart wives, the families that are all about church but get high on the weekend, the laconic, knowing cops, the impossibility of keeping a secret in a small town, and a culture built around family and kids. They all ring true to me.

The movie is very dark comedy about the misadventures of three buddies who get too drunk at band practice and do some stupid things. One of them ends up dead. Just how drunk they get and how stupid they get is teased out during the movie.

During the process, the story explores the loving connections the buddies have to their families, and the weight that the solution to the death has on the sheriff.

It's a good movie, but not for everyone,

Fargo in Alabama

[garymathe-76173 · 7/10 · 8 October 2019]

This is a dark comedy that's rarely makes one laugh out loud, but it's still funny, and extremely weird. For me it has hints of Fargo, Beavis and Butthead, and Dale and Tucker vs Evil. The twist is disturbing (without being graphic), unique and utterly unexpected. The characters are (sadly) believable, even if most are stereotypical. Worth a watch.

Weird and full of suspense.

[terrencepatrix · 6/10 · 9 October 2019]

Well we know the premise of this movie basically from the title. Dick dies and only his two best friends and band mates know how it happened, only thing is, they're not talking.

I have to admit, I did NOT see that twist coming due to how suspenseful and shrouded in mystery of Dick's death was throughout the majority of this film. Chances are you won't see it either. So just do your best to imagine how 3 low IQ, bumbling, no talent, drunk, high, rednecks act up to when they're left alone to their wild shenanigans.

This movie isn't a "comedy" in the sense that there are jokes or any sorts of punchlines. The characters themselves ARE the punchline to a really bad and tasteless joke. There's no slapstick or outright humor to be found, yet it's comedic aspect comes from just how clueless the main character is and how every decision he makes just makes things worse for himself.

So it's a weird movie and it's pacing definitely won't be for everyone. I rated it a 6 because while it kept me interested and curious the entire film by the end of it I wished it had gone further with the content. It's equal parts mystery, suspense, and comedy with an answer to a question you just plain aren't expecting but at a relatively slow pace. There's no gag or gross out humor, no nudity, just some occasional swearing.

Dark but funny

[Gordon-11 · 13 November 2019]

This film tells the story of two friends, who has to face the consequences of their wild night out.

The scene is set pretty quickly, and the complicated situation faced by the two main characters are very well portrayed. The story is dark, but the tone of the film is light. The film is funny, but not disrespectful of Dick Long. It is quite a surprising for me to like a dark comedy, and I liked it.

Offbeat and Entertaining

[franklindf · 7/10 · 27 February 2020]

One thing to remember about people who descend into a life of crime is they can be incredibly stupid and make poor decisions. On top of that, add drugs and alcohol and you set the stage for this film. None of the actions taken by the characters are really all that unbelievable, especially when you consider the backwoods area where it all takes place - there is a certain culture you'll find among working class, low income people in the rural south, and this film captures it well. That said, it does branch into comedy given the pure buffoonery of these people. Some of the dialogue is also layered well to provide comic relief. I think comparisons to Fargo are fair; I don't think the merits of this film quite raise to that level - but it does go into similar territory. It's a fairly light film overall that doesn't carry much much of a message or delve too deep, but it remains entertaining on a superficial level.

This movie was SUPER weird

[mikwlsn · 7/10 · 28 September 2019]

This was definitely a dark noir comedy but they did it pretty right the twist was a weird shock

Disturbing drama, will be found utterly unfunny by many

[giallopudding · 6/10 · 27 October 2019]

If you can laugh at the tragic human condition, especially the human condition of degenerate hillbillies, then perhaps you can hold down the bile and revulsion when the big "reveal" unfolds. (Actually, there is zero footage of the situation leading to Dick Long's death, so you'll be using your imagination).

The acting in this strange film is superb across the board, so kudos to the cast and director for that. The cinematography is well done. Good production values throughout. As to why anybody would feel compelled to make a film about this particular subject matter, well, that's a question for psychiatrists (or perhaps an exorcist). Devote Christians, you've been warned...

maybe the truth isn't the best thing

[cdcrb · 6/10 · 3 October 2019]

Two slackers trying to cover up the death of a buddy. everything goes wrong. sometimes in life things just cannot be explained. when zeke's wife calls him a coward, she's wrong. but not in the usual way. it's not a great movie, but you certainly will not see what's coming. unusual these days. daniel scheinert, the director/ writer, has a great movie in him.

Thus continueth the wonderful legacy of A24 studio

[gabethurau · 8/10 · 11 October 2019]

This is not that funny of a film. The stupidity of the characters actually plays more to tragedy than comedy in my opinion. The movie is a mixture of dark comedy, situational humor, investigative ineptitude, surprisingly good acting, and an entertaining (if aimless) narrative.

Maybe my love for the Trailer Park Boys predisposed me to liking podunk humor, but I was entertained throughout the whole thing.

It just feels weird to give this an 8...because...you'll understand when you see it.

Being unique is enough

[masonsaul · 7/10 · 16 March 2024]

The Death of Dick Long is a film so weird that the film simply existing is a big win. It's just a bonus that it's also a very sincere drama hiding the weirdest answer to what seems like a fairly simple question. There's some substantial pacing issues but originality makes up for a lot in this case.

Everyone here nails the specific kind of quirk this film is going for however, Michael Abbott Jr. Is the standout. Spending a lot of the film stressed out with a level of incompetence that would make Coen brothers characters feel smart by comparison. He even turns the wildest twist into a heartbreaking moment.

Daniel Scheinert's direction starts the film strong, then gets some solid tension out of its interrogations and Zeke's struggles to hide the truth. The frenetic score by Andy Hull and Robert McDowell is an ideal companion to what's on screen and the decision to end on a nickelback song really fits.

Don't let the twist ruin your date night - be warned!

[o_s_k_r · 5/10 · 21 January 2020]

I really liked the first half of the movie. However the twist completely changes the tone of the movie and it's hard to find it funny. I strongly recommend that the audience DO KNOW the plot before watching it. Spoilers follow.

Ok, so the first half is quite funny, sorta like a funnier version of Fargo, set in Alabama. Two dudes accidentally kill the third member of their (absymally awful) rock band. We don't know how they did it, but it's funny watching them try to cover it up, and it's well acted and directed.

Then suddenly it becomes a beastiality movie. Yep, these three guys have been regularly having sex with a nearby horse. Somehow they actually got the horse to penetrate their friend and he was fatally ploughed. Although the scene where this is revealed is quite hilarious (and shocking), I didn't find anything to laugh about in the final half of the film. It was well acted, but the lead characters appeared now sad, sick and pathetic, instead of comic.

And it's really really unsexy. So I strongly do not recommend you watch this if you want to get laid afterwards.

Weird is one way to put it

[juliekim-88493 · 8/10 · 28 September 2019]

I didn't know what the expect but man... they did get weird. I was expecting Fargo vibes but this took a whole different turn. The dark comedy is done well I must say.

What in the actual F

[Draysan-Jennings · 6/10 · 25 December 2019]

Come on! That was going so well. Then BOOM starts to go downhill. The first half was great. The whole feel of the movie just sucked after the first half. Also, what was up with these guys having sex with a horse? I know rednecks are freaky, but letting a horse bone you? WHAT THE HELL? Just weird. This movie had great potential, it sucks that it ended up blowing. I'll still rate it a 6 because the first half was pretty good.

Not a throwaway...but disposable!

[dpc69 · 3/10 · 22 November 2019]

There is obviously some talent on the creative end of this movie, but it doesn't rise above the missed opportunities of character development. Thank goodness the unsurprising plot is in no danger of haunting you and won't linger long in my memory. The actors though, I'll be looking for further projects.

I don't understand why this was made

[redfernt-46233 · 20 February 2020]

Such a terrible premise. It appears to be based on the case of the "Enumclaw horse sex case" although with a racist twist, set in Alabama.

I just don't understand what the film makers were trying to achieve. I guess they were hoping for a Fargo style comedy about these blundering miscreants, however with acting this wooden, and a story this tortuous, it falls flat on its face. Nothing is believable, or sympathetic.

Is the title supposed to be clever?

I can't recall seeing a worse movie.

Dark, Weird, Fargo-esque

[BeeVal · 7/10 · 9 October 2019]

Pretty good movie pound for pound. For such a simple Alabama location I think it was directed pretty well.

NOT GOOD EXECUTION

[prathampikku · 6/10 · 18 February 2021]

It Is Long, Boring And Just Does Not Make A Whole Lot Of Sense. The Facts And The Wierd Horse Sex Case Are Not Presented Properly, 100 Minutes Is Not Worthy. Story Is Quite Intresting & Out Of The Box But Direction Is Very Poor.. '

VIEWS ON FILM review of The Death of Dick Long

[burlesonjesse5 · 7/10 · 19 October 2019]

"Guess we got a little carried away last night". You may be right Mr. Andre Hyland. Hyland plays a vapor smoking townie named Earl Wyeth in 2019's The Death of Dick Long.

Anyway, have you ever seen a version of Fargo and/or A Simple Plan without all the epic self-seriousness? And have you ever seen a version of Fargo and/or A Simple Plan with a heavier touch of Jerry Springer? The Death of Dick Long is that version and at 100 mostly enthralling minutes, it's my latest review.

"Long", with its snapshot of small town life, its skewed Mayberry tones, and its cliche of mostly bumbling police officers, feels like something pretty disturbing. It also has kooky moments in it that might make you sort of chuckle. It's kinda like the Coen brothers concocting cinema on the fly during a rushed, weekend holiday.

The actors in "Long" (Hyland mentioned earlier, Virginia Newcomb, Michael Abbott Jr.) are unknown but they do a decent job and are for looks sake, decently cast. Abbott Jr. looks like a cross between Michael Sheen and Steve Zahn while Newcomb gives off that old school, Sissy Spacek vibe.

Referencing Pulp Fiction, taking place in Alabama, and featuring a married couple named Dick and Jane (I'm not kidding), The Death of Dick Long is about three drunk buddies who take on a hard night of partying. After one of said buddies dies, the other two vow to cover it up while trying to evade the slow poke, Bama po-po.

Bottom line: The Death of Dick Long has characters in it that you follow incessantly despite their high level of befuddle-ness and their high level of being addled. Their Southern fried journey and their trashy white ambivalence is more overwhelming than the film's ultimate destination. Rating: 3 stars.

Funnier than I expected

[cjs6547 · 7/10 · 14 December 2019]

It's about hillbillies who get up to no good at night and one of them ends up dying. So I thought it would be extremely dark and violent, but the movie is actually a bit light hearted. Earl and Zeke trying to cover their tracks is pretty fun. They seem normal, kind people outside of their personal hobby, and you actually sympathize with them. The acting and direction is very good. The last 30 minutes will seem to drag on forever though, because this small town Alabama police department is slow as fudge.

Great dark comedy with stellar performances

[carlos-pires · 9/10 · 12 October 2019]

This is a very good dark comedy that hinges on dumb decisions and a pervasive all-round ineptitude of almost all of the characters. But this isn't your usual dark comedy, in the sense that this won't elicit lots of laughs. It's a comedy because the characters and situations are pathetically laughable, but that doesn't mean you will find yourself laughing all along. Though the plot is a bit strange, the stellar performances delivered by all of the cast render the whole story as completely believable. I would even go as far as to say that this is so well done that it looks like the characters had no choice but to act as they do. The whole cast does a great job, but special credit must be given to Virginia Newcomb's performance. The shades of perplexity that go through her face when her husband tells her the unthinkable are priceless! I would say that everything in this movie is as good as it should be. No more, no less. Everything is in its place. There's also a very subtle hint of Cohen brothers to some of the awkward moments and some of the shots, which for me is an added bonus.

Definitely worth a shot

[pranay_misra · 7/10 · 12 December 2019]

This movie plays with you. Throws u an awkward situation in the beginning and then from there on, u try to think for relatable likable characters that they wud do something smart and get out of a bad situation but they all do exactly opposite and things start going weird from there on. This was a very nervous ride for me, watched it while on my working hours so it was adventurous but not as great as that of dick long, who got it mentioned on its death certificate.

Painfully irritating drama

[JakubBednar · 3/10 · 10 October 2019]

The description classes this movie to have crime, comedy and drama. If you want to watch crime you'd be better off watching a Judge Judy episode and I'm saying that in a sense that I don't like Judge Judy. The only comedy you'll find is "smirking" at how dumb the main actors must be to the point that makes you wonder how they can afford cars and be in relationships. The overwhelming amount of drama relating to the crimes committed is undeserved.

If you want to see "weird" like many of my fellow reviewers are classing this movie as, be prepared to waste your time because it's not weird, it's just plain stupid. I couldn't imagine reading the script and thinking I want my name to be a part of this. I would take the job but wouldn't tell my friends about it. The acting was good. After seeing the ending you'll know the script is illogical in so many aspects.

Budget was adequate but after seeing the trailer you'll believe it's an absolute anti-climax and a slow burning drama. The first 15 minutes hooked me in but it started to go downhill from there and didn't seem to stop. The ending is dreadful and the only feeling it invoked in me was "I expected more but thank god that's over".

Watch the trailer and run.

What can ya say?

[deadbull-95171 · 9/10 · 9 October 2023]

This is more or less billed as a comedy, and if you want to take it that way, I guess it works. But the soundtrack, the hypocrisy of a lot of the people judging these events, which, is based on a well publicized event, an event that was videotaped for sale, makes the whole thing play like an on-tilt melodrama. It's very engaging, well acted, and as a movie, less bizarre then it's subject matter. Likely there's a lot more of that going around then the moral majority might think. By the way, videos taken of the real central event from Washington are available online with a very brief search. This is a very entertaining interesting flick.

Serious take on a kinda funny subject. Great acting.

[gethinnadin · 7/10 · 28 December 2019]

Quite funny, a bit disturbing. Very well acted. Feels like a high quality film. My advice don't read any other reviews. Don't read anything about the film just watch it. A solid 6/7 out of 10. The theme is taboo but the surprise will help you enjoy the film more.

Seriously?

[thathdee · 1/10 · 4 May 2020]

What is this? I can't even understant de purpose of this movie, it has no meaning, is not even funny . But what i can't really is those cops, seriously?! they're the slowest and dubbest cops ever! How can they be so stupid like that?! And really? they just let guy walk away like that as if multiple crimes were nothing?

Is just a big waste of time.