The Beach Bum

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg, Stefanie LaVie Owen, Martin Lawrence, Zac Efron, Jonah Hill, Jimmy Buffett
Directed by: Harmony Korine
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2019

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Moondog (Matthew McConaughey) is a stoner poet who lives life with no rules and not a care for anything in the world.

Review:

Tim: I pretty much hated Harmony Korine's 2013 film, Spring Breakers. I understand he had a unique vision and it was what he wanted to do with that film, but it made for a nearly unwatchable film. I went into The Beach Bum was a lot of trepidation. I will say that this film feels more accessible, less grating on your nerves. Korine continues his unique approach, although this film is a bit more conventional in its structure. It feels like a Korine film, but it's less out there. So, I would say that this film was a huge improvement over his last movie. Unfortunately, this is a pretty terrible movie regardless.

Based on these two films, Korine certainly seems excited to tell us stories about unlikable characters. I've always struggled with movies where I can't appreciate any of the characters. It's better if I can like them and emotionally connect with them, but at the very least, I need to appreciate them. In his previous film, he gave us a slew of unlikable characters and only Alien (played in such zany fashion by James Franco) was a character you could at least appreciate. Unfortunately, this movie follows that same formula. All the characters are unlikable, but I suppose there's some level of appreciation for Moondog. Still, would it kill him to give us a character we could root for and get behind?

Moondog somewhat works as a character thanks to the performance of Matthew McConaughey. He certainly acts well bringing this seedy, unforgettable character to life. That being said, I felt troubled by his performance. On the one hand, McConaughey is really good at playing characters like this. He has experience doing it and he's able to tap into this carefree quality that allows his characters to feel like they're just floating through life. He was absolutely the right actor for this role and his performance is strong. On the other hand, this film reminds us of the many roles McConaughey has taken in terrible movies over the years. Until his career renaissance, he felt stuck in bad movies and typecast in these kinds of stoner/slacker roles. McConaughey is a great actor and it's been a great pleasure to see remarkable performances in shows like "True Detective" and movies like Dallas Buyers Club and Mud. It felt like a step back for him, even though his performance is so impressive.

Isla Fisher did some interesting work here. It's hard to like her character, but it was fun watching her here. Snoop Dogg gave a surprisingly good supporting performance. It was so great to see Martin Lawrence here and he gets to have one of the funniest, most memorable scenes in the film. Zac Efron was great, too in a small supporting role. That facial hair he rocks is incredible. I liked Jonah Hill, even though his performance felt a bit too forced and unrealistic. The cast as a whole was impressive and Korine allows them room to give solid performances. The issues with this film aren't the cast- it's with Korine's meandering direction and script.

It feels like Korine was trying to capture a lifestyle and an outlook here. The inclusion of Jimmy Buffet certainly reinforces that. It's obvious what he is highlighting here. I also believe he was trying to convey a message with this movie. The film's odd and somewhat unsatisfying conclusion furthers that belief. I think Korine's style gets in the way of delivering the message he wants audiences to get. The movie's voice is quieted and muffled with the inaccessible approach to storytelling that Korine has. It's hard to take a message away when you don't care about any of the characters and most of them have been grating on your nerves for an hour and a half. I know Korine deserves some credit for his atypical film making style, but he makes 95 minute movies feel so much longer and I can't forgive that. There were certainly moments in this film that I really appreciated, but the overall viewing experience felt painful.

The Beach Bum isn't like most movies you've seen and usually that is a good thing. We need more originality in Hollywood. Unfortunately, this attempt just doesn't come together. I might have felt some appreciation for Moondog, but man, I didn't care what happened to him. I was glad when this movie was over. In that lens, this film is another failure. I have to admit, after two films, I would seriously have to think about watching future Korine movies. I'm not sure I want to invest the time. That being said, if the next film brought Alien and Moondog together, it would be hard to pass that up. Sadly, it would probably end up being another bad movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 4.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Spring Breakers, Fool's Gold, Dazed and Confused