Directed by: Jordan Roberts
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O’Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Nora Dunn, Whitney Cummings, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth
Distributed by: Variance Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running time: 89 minutes
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
“3,2,1…Frankie Go Boom” is one of the most zany, over-the-top, dysfunctional comedies of the year. It includes also one of the most unique and fantastic collection of actors. Charlie Hunnam and Ron Perlman, who have co-starred in “Sons of Anarchy” and Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming “Pacific Rim”, get a chance to team up again on this project. I have a feeling they should just together on every project. They are simple hysterical together. Lizzy Caplan is fantastic and perfectly neurotic. Also playing her father is Chris Noth, who really delivers a riot of a role and changes the way I will look at a treadmill again.
Now back to Ron Perlman because he deserves his own paragraph. He doesn’t show up till about 57 minutes in but easily makes the whole film. He has been known for his roles like Vincent in “Beauty and the Beast”, the devil child Hellboy and most recently Clay Morrow in “Sons of Anarchy”. Now in “3,2,1…Frankie Go Boom”, he is able to add the role of Phyllis, the transsexual ex-criminal. When he comes on the screen you can’t help but say to yourself…”Wow, only Ron Perlman can pull this off”. The man nails the role and steals the show.
Now let’s get to what this film is actually about. When Frank Bartlett (Hunnam) comes home to support his brothers, Frank (O’Dowd), release from rehab, who has tourterd him all his life. When Frank meets Lassie (Caplan) and finds out that his brother secretly shot sex tape of them and uploaded to the internet, they need to find a way to get it down. To make it worse they find out that Lassie is the daughter of a washed-up unstable movie star, Jack (Noth). They turn to Phyllis, the transsexual ex-criminal (Perlman), in order to take the video down before it goes viral. Let’s just say that nothing goes right.
Overall great casting and smart script lead up to this fun little film. If you are looking for a new definition to dysfunctional family, then be sure to check out “3,2,1…Frankie Go Boom”. Be sure to stay until the screen goes black for more Perlman/Noth! Totally worth it!