Adventures of the Naked Umbrella

I thought it was great. People don't seem to know what a dark rom com is. This was definitely a dark comedy and a love story. The only bad actor was the bald sheriff. He was bad, he must've had family in high places or wrote part of it. So bland. But otherwise, I laughed and cried. I didn't recognize Dr faraday at first, great job.

We went to see the Salton sea 10 years ago, if you've never seen it first hand you can't appreciate it as much. It is amazingly stinky, bleak and run down. It's awesome in a dark way. And I believe scene in the bar was at the old international banana museum, because I know the store scene was next door to it.

One of the most beautiful and real love stories I have ever seen in a movie, wrapped in the most delightfully bizarre package.

Sam is a pryromaniac. A convicted arsonist. A conspiracy podcaster.

What caught me off guard is how genuine and kind his character is. How everything he does is driven by a will to do the best he can. To be brave in hard circumstances. He always tries to do right by Renee and Kevin, and the parole officer who's has become his only real friend.

I'm not going to speak to the plot directly. I had the benefit of seeing this movie knowing nothing about it, and I wish that for you too.

This is NOT a comedy. It's a drama. An odd drama.

There are multiple scenes and setting where the makers CLEARLY thought they were creating comedy... but there isn't any.

For the most part it's a pure drama focused ENTIRELY on "Sam Wanoutsky" (the "Naked Umbrella" according to his conspiracy theory pod cast). He's on screen a good 90% of the time. Frankly I didn't think the character was very interesting nor compelling. And with htat, the entire film felt unsatisfying and a waste of time. Many of these scenes are purely to try and show quirks that Sam Wanoutsky - but they weren't so much quirks as just stupid illogical actions. Much of it makes no sense.

Ultimately this film's plot COULD be written in two sentences, but I will avoid spoilers.

It's a waste of time with no real payoff.

For the record the perhaps the SMALLEST speaking part in this film is Tom Arnold's part. He is NOT a major character in this. He's a "known cameo" if anything.

----- PASS -------

What a tricky funny strange caper. I loved it. Keep them coming Gerold! I felt the character development was great and it was interesting that the bad guy was hard to pin point at first. But then we feel bad for that bad guy too. The cinematic movement was also well thought out and the stunts were fantastic. The acting was the key to the whole thing. The music really lifted this UFO off the ground too. I really hope this is seen by everyone with an imagination.... The choice of location was cool to shoot this film and Tom Arnold was his classic Iowa self. I hope it gets picked up by a major distribution company and if the critics who only watched the first scene before writing their review on rotten tomatoes will give it an actual look they might be surprised at what they might find.

A conspiracy theorist, pyromaniac. Haven't heard of that one before! Jeremy Davies as 'Sam Wanoutsky' masterfully navigates this blast of a movie, expertly flipping from conspiracy podcaster, (sometimes channeling Robbin Williams' Good Morning Vietnam) to vulnerable, delusional misfit in search of his family. The fireside chat with the alien is probably my favorite scene, followed by Sam's encounter with a quicky mart clerk, (Mike Marks) who not only out-conspiracies him, (Birds aren't real) but also keeps Davies on his feet in this scene stealing cameo. Other standouts include Darnell Rhea as Sam's parole officer, "Yolanda" who keeps things grounded; Richard Riehle as a cross-dressing, drug dealing, "Granny", and the always funny Tom Arnold as the town sheriff, (Would've loved to see more of him!) Although this movie won't be for everyone, it's got so much going for it- think The Big Lebowski and other Early Cohen brothers movies with a "Sixth Sense" style reveal, I think it will be one of those films that pops up every holiday, (Oh yeah, this all happens at Christmas!) I was hooked! Well done.