Monday, March 3, 2008

Movie Review of "Eagle vs. Shark" : True Love Has Never Been More Awkward

... a funny, fractured romance between two total misfits woven into an all-consuming quest for revenge and shot through with the strange, sweet hilarity of the human condition. When Lily, a lonely, oddball fast-food waitress and hopeless romantic, and Jarrod, another lonely oddball and video game clerk who has spent the last decade plotting revenge against a bully from high school, connect at a "dress as your favorite animal" party, it's a match seemingly made in outcast heaven. ...
Eagle Vs. Shark is the sweet story of two losers, one who is free to be herself, and the other who continually tries to live up to his father's expectations. Both come from families that are populated completely with what most also would call losers. However, as is often the case, no one seems to recognize this. Lily's relationship with her brother is loving and full of games they play to amuse themselves. Jarrod's family is haunted by the memory of a dead brother who Jarrod feels he can never match.

There is occasional animation included that points up key parts. It is simple, but very well done and adds an odd charm all its own to the overall movie.

This is an extremely low key movie, that makes one think of The Castle, if any of the characters from that quirky family took themselves a bit too seriously. We all recognize the types that Lily and Jarrod represent and perhaps that recognition helps make the movie resonate more with us. If one looks for a deeper meaning than mere entertainment here, the overall message would be that one need not be anywhere close to perfect to desire and deserve love ... and to find it. More than anything, this movie is quirky, funny, and (one simply cannot escape the word) sweet.

Note: The "R" rating is for language, some sexuality, and brief animated violence. What we noticed was the sexuality though it is indeed brief and not explicit.

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