Wristcutters: A Love Story

Released- 2006

Director- Goran Dukic

Writers- Goran Dukic (From the story "Knellers Happy Campers", by Etgar Keret)

Stars- Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Tom Waits (as Kneller)

-- bent --

There's this genre of films (I dont know what to call it.), in which death starts people on some kind of journey during which they meet a collection of unusual characters and have strange adventures. Donny Darko is one. So are Roadside Prophets, After Hours and The Big Empty. There are more, but I cant think of them right now.

Wristcutters is, I think, one of the best of this genre, whatever it is. It's quirky and witty, very witty, in a black humor sort of way. I cant think of a place where this piece fails. Unlike The Big Empty, this film continues to deliver on every level. The soundtrack is related in an unconventional way- all the songs are by people who committed suicide.

Oh. Guess I should explain why that's important. See, Wristcutters is about a group of dead people, not zombies or vampires, just people who are dead. They've killed themselves in one way or another and all wound up in a strange, desolate place that reminds me of Tuba City. At least, that's true of everyone but Shannyn Sossamon's character, Mikal. She is looking for "the people in charge" because she has come there by mistake. She didnt actually commit suicide. She OD'd and there was some kind of error and she wants to go home.

This film is interesting to me because it brings up some very relevent questions.

Why do people kill themselves over basic problems that people deal with every day? In the case of Zia, it happens to be a failed relationship. Others did it out of frustration or hopelessness. What is it that causes one person out of however many to respond in a self-destructive way?

Do people really change? Even after they've "offed" themselves, these people remain as they were in their lives. Why is it so hard for us to make and maintain the fundamental changes that life sometimes requires? Now, before I get too philosophical and start spouting out theories, I'll switch gears.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Some of the more interesting things about this film are the little details. For example, in Suicide Town (my name for it), you cant smile. It isnt that you arent supposed to. You just cant. Also, there arent any stars. Imagine a sky without stars. Oddly, it is possible to kill yourself again.

In the beginning of the piece, Zia gets a job at Kamikaze Pizza. This is an homage to another story by author Etgar Keret - Pizzeria Kamikaze. I'm not familiar with his work, so I'll be checking it out soon.

One of my favorite characters is Jim, played by Clayne Crawford. The guy is so quirky. First is his hair. Cant explain it, but it fits. Then is a sudden hesitation he gets in mid-sentence. Jim rocks.

Another question that comes to me is- Why do I like this kind of film? You would think that a fifty-two year old, pseudo-conservative guy like me would lean toward things less abstract.