Sundance Film Festival 2021 ends its second day with a midnight screening that is sure to rile people up. ‘Mother Schmuckers’ is the latest from filmmaking duo Harpo and Lenny Guit. These two Belgian directors get as filthy as they can with their latest feature. Unfortunately, it really isn’t all that charming at all.
The premise, if you can call it that, centers around two brothers: Issachar and Zabulon. Two troublemakers who can’t seem to get a decent meal anywhere. When they lose their mothers dog, named January Jack, they must go and look for him. Obviously, things don’t go as simple as I had just written it. Throughout the films short 70 minute runtimes the two brothers and their mother get into all sorts of trouble.
It’s the kind of lewd and over the top shock value comedy you expect from a film like this. There is not many endearing qualities to the project. The madcap adventure displayed in this brief runtime doesn’t leave this reviewer with a lot talk about. The film shines not when it is going for the gross poop joke. However, it does shine when it embraces more of the lo-fi energy in later parts of the film.
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There are some truly funny character moments and line delivery, but it’s unfortunately so few and far apart in the films short runtime. Some other positives included its creative camera angle sand editing, and the one or two random character moments that get bizarrely intimate and show a hint of a story.
The way the characters have some (very rare) subtle interactions that don’t involve body humor are what make some parts of the film tolerable. At the end of the day though, Mother Schmuckers chooses instead to revel in the more absurd surrealist and sometimes gross humor. Other than that, there isn’t a lot about this film that i think needs to be said. Viewers should be warned how graphic this film can be. Some of the Animal violence is unnecessary, but then again, so is most of the film as a whole. – Ernesto Valenzuela
Grade – 4/10
Mother Schmuckers is pending wide release date. For more Sundance 2021 coverage, keep an eye on our Twitter page and this site!
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