Good Machine
September 12, 2003
Dramedy
DVD
B
This is both a story of a down-to-earth real-life regular guy who writes comic books about that life, and a sometimes surreal blending of comic-book style (a bit like the later Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and "documentary" realism that includes the actual people being documented, sometimes in the same frame with their portrayers. It's also quite funny but with dramatic moments, including about cancer. And it captures its place (mostly Cleveland) and times (1950 to the present, but mostly '75 to about '87). Still, I can't go higher on the grade because I wasn't wowed and I didn't "enjoy" being in that world exactly.
Shout-out to Friedlander, whom I'd only seen as 30 Rock's Frank but who here becomes almost indistinguishable from the real Toby Radloff (who agrees). Josh Hutcherson, who just has a small role in the opening scene as Robin (he would've been about nine at the time of shooting) would grow up to be Peeta in the Hunger Games movies. Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini co-wrote and co-directed.
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