© FAKESHEMP.NET
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • MEDIA
    • Videos >
      • Photos
  • GLG
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • WTF was that?
  • Good Movie Monday
  • About

TUSK

8/10/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
2014 / Director. Kevin Smith.
Review by Jarret Gahan.

Shock jock podcaster Wallace Bryton (Justin Long) is a seasoned traveller of North America, regularly scouring the country for oddballs to interview and exploit on his program ‘The Not-See Party’, co-anchored by Teddy Craft (Haley Joel Osment). It’s across the border though in Manitoba Canada that Wallace will finally met his match, in one rather charming hermit Howard Howe (Michael Parks). Howard has been a traveller himself, having sailed the world over he has many a tale to share and Wallace comfortably perched by a fireplace with a cup of tea is keen to hear every one of them. However story-time is abruptly cut short when Wallace having finished his tea falls to the ground mid-tale, it’s only the following day awakening in a wheelchair that Wallace realises that he himself has become part of the rich tapestry of Howard’s legend.

TUSK was bore from a Smodcast conversation between Writer/Director Kevin Smith and long-time collaborator Scott Mosier where the pair discussed a UK Gumtree classified on-air. By the end of the program Smith had fleshed out the advertisement into a film pitch and they asked their listeners to vote #walrusyes if Smith should pursue turning the concept into a film or #walrusno if he should leave it be. Lucky for us Smith’s loyal army of followers voted yes and the filmmaker has gone on to surprisingly craft his most original film in over fifteen years. Smith’s prior film RED STATE saw the filmmaker step out of his comfort zone to deliver an adequate thriller that seethed with promise but seemingly failed in its execution. TUSK finds Smith once again in unfamiliar territory but this time at the top of his game, perfectly blending genuine suspense with bad taste and an morbidly awkward sense of humour, his splicing of genre traits is comparable to that of the masterwork created by the film’s villain, Howard. The only fault to be picked in the fabric of the film is that of the character Guy Lapointe though it’s hard to distinguish whether it’s in the writing itself or the portrayal of the character by an unaccredited Hollywood A-Lister that is to blame. Guy is similar to Inspector Clouseau, from a screwball demeanour right down to the French accent, he’s over-the-top and somewhat out of place in what is predominately a tense well balanced horror comedy.

Smith has overcome his own self-referenced point and shoot aesthetic of his prior films by working with cinematographer James Laxton, together they have captured the mood of the script with subtle creeping camera movements, a textured glow and some stand-out compositions. Christopher Drake’s score is also a perfect companion to the film, moody yet understated and a true revelation coming from a first-time feature-film composer. The performances all aside from the A-Lister are solid but particular kudos need be paid to Michael Parks who manages to marry humour, menace and an endearing sensibility to his role as Howard Howe, a character worthy of going down in history as a genre icon.

With a career spanning just over two decades, the question has been asked whether Smith is still relevant in contemporary cinema and if he’s capable of delivering a good film outside of his own self-inflicted Askewniverse, the answer is TUSK and I’m voting #walrusyes.


1 Comment
lee
8/4/2016 11:07:51 am

this film blew my mind. surprised by how much hate it gets. glad to see there is another tusk fan out there. great article btw. bring on yogahosers already!!!!!!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.


    OUR WRITERS
    GLENN COCHRANE
    ALYSSA DE LEO
    ALEX MAYNARD
    CHRIS THOMPSON
    SAMANTHA HOWSON​
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    September 2010
    April 2010

    RSS Feed

© 2018 FakeShemp.Net    All rights reserved.  FakeShemp.Net Illustrations by MJ Barros. 
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • MEDIA
    • Videos >
      • Photos
  • GLG
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • WTF was that?
  • Good Movie Monday
  • About