"Off The Chain," is a dark comedy about a working wife and mother pushed to the edge by her husband Joe's utter shiftlessness and irresponsibility. In every sense, Joe is like her third child. He forgets to pay important bills, he doesn't help Susanna enough with the kids. He basically is just a warm body. He's not a life partner. He leaves his wife to carry not only the familial duties; she also has to take care of the house and the finances. When his financial recklessness wipes out there savings she is pushed to the edge and contracts a hired killer. Susanna doesn't want her husband dead. She regrets her decision and upon a meeting to finalize the details of her husbands hit she plans to call the whole thing off but instead she is arrested.
A lazy husband is no justification for murder. This is true, but it is a comedy, a dark comedy, but a comedy. The people who are overly critical of this film are taking it far too seriously. There are some jokes about men that men may find offensive. My own husband cringed at several of the jokes, but they are just that, jokes characters in the film make. The jokes may seem extreme and some of the characters in the film such as Big Tammy may seem a little over the top. Big Tammy, with her disdain for the male species is the opposite of the main character in many ways. Susanna doesn't think all men are evil or that Joe is that bad, all she really wanted was a life partner who contributed more around the house.
"Off The Chain" is a well written film that women will relate to more than men in most situations. However, I will say after watching this film with my husband he was a bit more sympathetic to my many responsibilities as wife and mother and offered to help out more around the house.
