Die, Mommie, Die!

Very humorous, always campy tale of aging star whose parade has long since skipped off down the road. (Yes, shades of SUNSET BOULEVARD, to be sure). Charles Busch brings his stage drama/comedy/what have you to the big screen, and it's a pretty enjoyable romp, at that. Throw in some great performances by Jason Priestley, in his stingy brim hat, shorts and occasional penny loafers; looking like a rich Tab Hunter, or a poor Peter Lawford, you choose, between snickers. Philip Baker Hall (a great dramatic actor, with a superb nose for comedy), is a standout. Natasha Lyonne as Edith, the daughter and Stark Sands as the sexually confused (or is HE?) son, and you've got the makings for some nostalgic, and yet irreverent fun. Frances Conroy is also a standout for her folksy, Southern, religious demeanor, as the maid, Bootsy. Without ruining it for you, essentially DIE, MOMMIE, DIE! is a tip of the hat to the late sixties movies where happy mom's were popping valium, terms like "baby" punctuated every third word in a sentence, and the thought of having a gigolo on the side didn't seem so remote. Of course, this doesn't take place in Nebraska, naturally it's Tinseltown. People there were so desperate to be hip (have times changed too much? Hmmmm.) and nobody dared to be square. You'll find others nods, winks and tips of the hat throughout, if you're a film buff, and if not, you'll still have a great time. Busch, who wrote the original stage play and this screenplay, stars in the lead, and does it with relish. This is a labor of love, and it shows. An enjoyable little indie, indeed. Recommended.

Why am I taking the time to review this movie? Because I loved it, practically every minute of it. Even now, I'm thinking about renting it again because this is the type of movie that you don't easily forget.

The plot of Die, Mommie, Die is straightforward: a washed-up singer is trapped in a bad marriage to a movie mogul who really doesn't love her. She decides to kill him so she can have a life and a real lover. That pretty much sums up the general plot.

The only criticism I have of this movie is that it should have tried to incorporate more songs, such as was done in the great Julie Andrews hit, "Victor Victoria". The one song in Die, Mommie, Die, "Why Not Me?" is repeated in several flashbacks. I don't know if the song is original, but it was perfect for this movie, and I wished there were more songs like this because it would have been a great soundtrack to buy.

This not a movie that would appeal only appeal to a small part of the movie-going public, but rather a great, campy movie that is full of fun. Perhaps the best compliment I can give this movie is that I wish I had seen it on the big screen. It would be well worth the $9.

Addendum: Almost four years have gone by since I reviewed this movie, but I have no indication if anyone has ever read this. So, if you stopped by, please leave your thumbs up or thumbs down.

I can't say enough wonderful things about DIE MOMMIE DIE. It's the funniest and most entertaining movie I've seen this year. Charles Busch is hysterically funny. And he's a wise and generous actor who lets the rest of the cast shine along with him. Everyone else -- particularly Natasha Lyonne, Jason Priestly, and Frances Conroy -- is great -- and obviously having a lot of fun with the story's loopy, inspired twists and turns. Director Mark Rucker has done a fantastic job with this material; it's a very impressive and knowing debut. And, of course, the production design and costumes are outstanding!

While this is a giddy, spot-on parody of the melodramas we all know and love, you don't have to know all the references to enjoy this movie. It's strong enough to stand on its own. I saw it at a recent film festival -- and it put me in the BEST mood. I can't wait to see it again -- and bring my friends.

I watched this as someone who knows and loves the styles of movie-making and acting that Busch and company are spoofing. Even so, I occasionally found the script it a little draggy, the photography a little dark and blocking a little static, but only occasionally. When it did work, which in my opinion was most of the time, it did so delightfully. Totally unpretentious, it doesn't make itself out to be anything other than it is. I give it an 8.

"Die, Mommie, Die" is a campy parody of the "woman's picture". Mostly a sendup of Joan Crawford but includes things from other movie queens by the new movie "queen". If you have not seen many of these films, you won't get a lot of the humor, including the over-complicated plot, special lighting, clothes, facial expressions, poses, names, etc. There is nudity, sexual material, vulgar language, etc. It is a hoot for adult audiences.

GRADE = "B"