Mister America

This film is a part of the "On Cinema at the Cinema" universe (podcast, Adult Swim series, many spin-offs), but it holds its own even without the background stories. (For those interested, there is a primer called "Road to Mister America - 10 Minute History of On Cinema" on YouTube.)

The mock documentary covers a run by Tim Heidecker (in character) for the office of D.A. in a small town, almost entirely for the purpose of taking down the D.A. who attempted to prosecute him for murder, for which he was let off by a hung jury.

The genius of this film is the exquisitely drawn portraits of characters drowning in their neuroses. In the case of the two stars, Heidecker is the overt narcissist (we are talking textbook), Gregg Turkington the almost-sweet covert narcissist-cum-middle-age-incel. Like all great comedic portraits of psychological pathology (Eric Cartman, the Bluth family, Fleabag) the performers thread the needle that has the audience not only wanting to hang out with these guys, but feeling great affection for them despite the awfulness of it all. Terri Parks, as Toni Newman, fits right in as she matches the subtle awkwardness of Heidecker and Turkington's fumbling human interactions that make up much of the humor.

Like "Nathan For You" and "Between Two Ferns," series that also ultimately produced great movie-length projects, this is small-scale, ultra-human humor, and if you don't recognize these characters all around you or see them in yourself (I myself am part Gregg), the humor may zip over your head. Shout-out to the movie critics they are lambasting!

Not only a hilarious satirical masterpiece, but one of the best moviegoing experiences I've ever had.

It feels odd giving this a lukewarm review. This is actually an incredibly difficult film to critique because one feels forced to look at it from perspective of the fan as well as the outsider. And there doesn't seem to be any "casual" fans of the On Cinema at the Cinema Universe, a network of media and shows that is so deep and winding at this point, it would be futile to attempt to explain in the confines of something like this beyond saying "it's a spoof of Siskel and Ebert" (and even that feels like too much and too little).

Personally, as someone who's consumed every second of the endless nonsense that is On Cinema etc., this felt a little flat to me, like they finally drove a joke into the ground beyond recognition. Perhaps, the restraints of the mockumentary format, which beckons for legitimization by attempting to unpack that aforementioned extended universe, a seemingly impossible task for the uninitiated and redundant for the believers. That isn't to say this isn't an enjoyable film. It has some great moments and any extra time spent in the world of these characters is never a waste. Especially Gregg, who--in perhaps a setting as far removed from Movieland as ever--still brings it back to his VHS tapes and popcorn classics, imploring the filmmakers to study the 1976 Disney flick The Shaggy D.A. to better understand what's happening with Tim (but to make sure to return the cassette when they're done). It's great.

Mister America also provides closure for the best thread On Cinema has ever stitched: The Trial. And maybe that's also where it suffers. The Trial was such a special landmark; it might never be topped. But the one thing we know is that Tim and Greg and company are always gonna try. By any means (or medium) necessary.

This was one of the funniest movies I've watched in years. Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington play their parts to perfection with nuance and subtlety that for a while made me wonder if they weren't real people! I love this approach and hope this sets a new standard for how this type of mockumentary is done. Most that I've watched tend to be over-the-top and try way too hard for laughs.

These two guys give us complete three-dimensional characters who play off one another effectively. Each character is completely self-absorbed and lost in diverse obsessions. Heidecker is hell bent on revenge against a municipality and its DA who tried to hold him responsible - and rightfully so, for negligence. Turkington plays to perfection, a movie buff whose world revolves around cinema, but who also is playing out a vendetta against his co-star.

The laughs come early and often. I highly recommend this one.

Mister America, that stems from a large comedy universe of the "on cinema at the cinema" series, has got to be the most unique and imaginative piece of satire available at this moment. Too quickly perceived as impenetrable, given its longstanding history, the writing behind this story will very quickly show itself masterful at bringing forward very real, known and understood individual personality flaws of people,acting under the pretence of good intentions, setting off a chain of disaster for themselves and the people that surround them.