KILL THE MAN

US, 1999, 86 minutes, Colour.
Luke Wilson, Joshua Malina, Paula Devicq, Phillip Rhys, Phil La Marr, Jim Fyfe, Teri Garr, Michael Mc Kean, Brian Doyle- Murray.
Directed by Tom Booker and Jon Kean.

Kill the Man is a small-budget independent comedy. It has its moments – and seems to have a message about equal opportunity for everyone. However, it opts for a comic ending rather than any serious explanation of examination of the issue.

The film was written and directed by Tom Booker and Jon Kean, actors as well as writers. Luke Wilson was at the beginning of his career. Joshua Malina mugs excessively. There are some funny moments with Teri Garr and Michael Mc Kean as the hero’s girlfriend’s parents.

The film is about small enterprise, two men running a copying shop – and a syndication setting up a twenty-four hour shop opposite them and using all kinds of means to promote themselves and destroy the opposition. Phil La Marr appears as a comic socialist, anarchist, who helps the two young men to start a series of industrial sabotage (comic style) against the big copy shop. In the meantime, Luke Wilson as Stanley has commitment problems for his girlfriend which lead to further complications.

A minor film – some funny moments, some irritating moments.

1.The small-budget film? American comedy? Performance? Screenplay?

2.The title, the small independent businesses against the big business world? The socialist slogans? Industrial sabotage? The cop-out humorous ending?

3.The shop, Stanley and Bob, their background, the money? No customers? The pensioner and his putting on a turn? His coming back – and the irritation to Stanley? Bob and his dreams, his flow charts, his economics course? The failure of the shop? Marky Marx and his arrival, swindling them, staying around, inspiring them to action?

4.Stanley, as a person, his relationship with Vicki, going to the house, the meal with the parents, the proposal, his being sick? Vicki and her being upset? His inability to phone her, avoiding her? The clashes with Bob? His pursuit of Vicki, his photocopying his private parts – and her putting them up, his arrest? His having time to think out schemes against the copy shop? The visualising of these? His final change of heart, relationship with Vicki, the engagement, the bingo game and his almost getting the money? The final irony of his disguise, getting the copying done, the salesman and his reluctance? Everybody arriving – and his being the winner of the competition? Lifelong copying for nothing – and his using it for his own shop?

5.Bob, frantic, on medication, enthusiastic? His interactions with Stanley? All the schemes to embarrass the main shop?

6.Vicki, her sister, the parents, the father’s negative attitude, criticising his wife? The wife, happy with the engagement? The bingo game?

7.Marky Marx, the rap, his ideas, participating in the demonstrations? Seth, his English background, sponging on the group?

8.The salesman in the big shop, his manner, the various schemes? His comeuppance? The three suits, their looking at the shop, their offer, its being withdrawn?

9.The comic elements, the dialogue, farce? Satisfying or not?