DROWNING MONA

US, 2000, 95 minutes, Colour.
Danny DeVito?, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Affleck, William Fichtner, Marcus Thomas, Peter Dobson, Kathleen Wilhoite, Tracey Walter, Will Ferrell, Paul Ben- Victor, Mark Pellegrino, Melissa Mc Carthy, Brian Doyle- Murray.
Directed by Nick Gomez.

Drowning Mona is a rather strident murder mystery, masquerading as a raucous comedy. It was directed by television director, Nick Gomez and stars Danny de Vito as the local sheriff. He is the only character who is not particularly strident, a surprise given some of his other films as Throw Momma from the Train, Death to Smoochy, The War of the Roses.

The victim of the murder is Bette Midler, at her crankiest and her ugliest. There is a range of offbeat characters, commonly referred to as trailer trash. William Fichtner does a good impersonation of a dumb character from the sticks as her husband, Jamie Lee Curtis is a dowdy waitress at a diner. Neve Campbell is Danny de Vito's daughter, about to be married to the chief suspect played by Casey Affleck. There is also a creepy turn by Will Ferrell as the undertaker. There is also a glimpse of Melissa McCarthy? a decade before her turn in Bridesmaids.

There are some amusing moments, some twists of the plot, especially involving Tracey Walter as the town outsider. However, the explanation of all the goings-on defies belief as befits black comedy. An oddball film experience.

1. A black comedy? Disguising a murder mystery? A satire on an American small town? Morals and mores?

2. The setting of the town, the homes, poor, wealthy? Police precincts? The diner? The bar? The river? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Mona, dislike of her? The opening, Bette Midler’s look, taking the keys, the mistake with the car? Driving, crashing, her death?

4. The investigation of her death? Danny DeVito? as Chief Rash? His doing his job properly? His working with his deputies? Their chatter, easygoing attitude, running away when the gun was produced? The work on detection?

5. Audience suspicions about who could have killed Mona? The interviews with the characters, their discussions with each other – and the flashbacks? Their subjective interpretations? Their encounters with Mona? Her being obnoxious, vindictive? The build-up of the character of Mona – and the fact that she was killable?

6. The focus on Bobby? His work as a landscaper? A nice and simple man? His working with Jeff? Jeff and the loss of his hand (and the police stories visualised about this – and his finally revealing that his mother had chopped it off)? The work of the company, running over the dog? Losing clients? Mona and her abusive attitude towards them? The company? Bobby and his engagement to Ellen? Wanting the best for her? His love for her? Their discussions? Their outings? Ellen, daughter of the deputy, pleasant? Pregnant? Her discovery about what Bobby had done, the difficulties, her moods? Posing as a happy couple for her father?

7. Jeff, slob, at home, lazy at work? His interactions with Phil? Dislike? His clashes with Bobby? The running over of the dog? His clashes with his mother? His affair with Rona? Discovering Phil with Rona? Wanting to marry Rona?

8. Rona, at the diner, her work, her relationship with Phil, their meetings? Her relationship with Jeff? Phil seeing them together? The possibility of her marrying Jeff – and her laughing?

9. Phil, at home, put upon by Mona? His marrying her? His relationship with Jeff? His being timid, not thinking? His relationship with Rona, their meetings? His telling the chief about Bobby and his meddling with the car? The theory about the car, the changing of the keys? Phil and his discussions with Rona, discovering her with Jeff? His falling into the water? Clarence finding him, killing him? The final revelation of his cutting the brake liners after seeing Bobby interfering with the fuel? His changing the keys himself? The villain?

10. Lucinda, her work at the garage, her information about the car? Friendship with Ellen, the kiss?

11. Clarence, fishing, observing, telling the stories? The truth about his killing Phil? At the wedding, handcuffs?

12. The wake, Phil and Jeff going, nobody else coming? Bobby and Ellen arriving? Everybody going on to the diner? Cubby the funeral director, Will Ferrell’s turn, sinister, his date for the night? His peculiar look? At the wedding?

13. Murph, Bobby’s brother, drinking, at the bar? His advice for Bobby? Covering for him? The truth?

14. Everybody assembling at the cemetery? The interactions? Clarence and the truth? Jeff with the gun, everybody persuading him to be calm?

15. The chief, his investigating the case, reassuring Bobby? Bobby blaming himself? The happy marriage? The happy ending?

16. The amusing nature of Mona as victim? Seeing her in flashbacks – especially the knife-throwing sequence? The fact that she could be killed? Nobody liking her? The possibilities of the murderer? All in black comedy?