Don Verdean: DVD Review
The Movie:
Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels a comic conspiracy.
This film was something else but what would you expect with Jared and Jerusha Hess at the helm. I was very surprised to see that this film had layers. The story has a religious backdrop to it but it is very much a caper with an undoubtedly comedic blanket over it all. The one thing that has to be known from the get go is that although it’s directed by Hess it isn’t the same wheelhouse as Napoleon Dynamite or Nacho Libre. It does have that same style and sensibility but the overall humor is a little more grown up in a way (it’s kind of hard to describe it). I laughed through the whole film and it was mainly because of the crazy cast of characters. Sam Rockwell has become such a great character actor. The man can transform himself into just about anyone and fall into his roles with so much ease. Jemaine Clement is absolutely hilarious in this film to me. He plays this Israeli character so seriously that there are moments that are funny just because it plays it so straight and makes you believe all of it. Then of course there was Will Forte, Amy Ryan and Danny McBride who played fantastically weird supporting characters that are definitely memorable. The film is a really fun caper to watch but it does take a certain type of sense of humor to really enjoy it and “get it” completely. I loved it and I would recommend picking this up but I would say that if you have any reluctance about it wasting your money on a purchase then a least rent it because it does deserve a viewing. 7/10
Special Features:
Digging In: Behind The Scenes Of Don Verdean – A really short feature that includes clips and interviews with the cast and crew.
Behind The Sounds – An in depth look at the sound facility Juniper Post.
Audio Commentary With Director Jared Hess
