Directory: Alex Karpovsky
Year: 2005
After thoroughly enjoying Alex Karpovsky's "Woodpecker" (and raving about it in a previous post), I thought I would give his first feature a try. And if compared by the standards of "Woodpecker," I'd have to say it falls short. But it is a first feature after all, and there are some good ideas here and lots of funny moments. I really wanted to like this film more than I did--again, having loved "Woodpecker" so much I thought this one would be on a similar level. Well, it really wasn't, although the last one-third or so really redeemed the movie for me. So, it's definitely worth a watch or even two, despite some flaws.
Karpovsky is the star of this mockumentary. He plays himself, who (for the purposes of the movie) is a karaoke-video editor with big dreams. Karpovsky is trying to film a pilot for a show called "Provincial Puzzlers," which centers on small-town unsolved mysteries. Karpovsky and crew journey to bone-chilling Brainerd, Minn. (in the middle of January no less!). While all the other lakes in the area are frozen over completely, one, North Long Lake, has a large opening which refuses to freeze over. The mysteries of this phenomenon are what drive Karpovsky to Brainerd but when he arrives, he finds that the once-open hole has indeed frozen over, leaving North Long Lake just another solid white wasteland.
It's Karpvosky's reaction to this development and his fierce determination to change it--even if it means trying to alter the forces of nature--that provide the comedic moments in the movie. And for better or worse, it's Karpovsky's character that dominates each scene of the movie. We see him townspeople about the hole, and we also see brief interactions with with a girlfriend back in Boston and his lone cameraman. But it's Karpovsky's show--we are privy to all of his thoughts and his existential musings. Sometimes these bits click and sometimes they don't, and for a first movie that's to be expected (as a side note, you really appreciate "Woodpecker" all the more after watching this, not because this is really bad--it's not--but that "Woodpecker" is so good).
With the days stretching into weeks and months and no sign of the hole opening back up, Karpovsky's descent into mental instability accelerates. It's here where the movie really starts to hit it's stride. After an insane dive into a frozen lake, Karpovsky checks himself into a local mental health facility. The director is a remarkably understanding and compassionate man and he allows Karpovsky to be filmed while he is treated. The reasoning being that it will help speed his growth because it's so important for Karpovsky to be the center of attention. Karpovsky hatches one last scheme to try and get his hole open once again leading to a gorgeously shot (and strangely affecting) conclusion.
For me, the actual biggest drawback was the Karpovsky character itself. I didn't find him likable at all--in fact, I found him self-centered and manipulative. And while that hasn't bothered me when watching past movie, it just didn't work for me here for whatever reasons. On the occasions when Karpovsky addressed the camera directly in his soul-baring moments, I didn't laugh (as was his intention) but felt uneasy. In "Woodpecker," we knew the Johnny character was a goof and we were able to goof on his Zen-like pronouncements. But there was just a different vibe in this one--for whatever reason--that was offputting and ultimately not always funny.
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