The sunny weather did not deter folks from catching Wristcutters: A Love Story at the Orpheum Stage Door.
It was so dark inside the crammed space, finding a seat was nearly impossible. Carefulness was even needed in the balcony -- that lumpy thing you sat on had a 50/50 chance of being a seat or a small person.
The film was so good, however, even those who had to kneel stayed until the credits. Wristcutters tracks a self-electrocuted Russian rocker (Shea Wingham) and the irresistibly weary Patrick Fugit (of Almost Famous fame), through the ring of hell reserved for suicide victims. When Zia (Fugit) finds out his girlfriend Desiree (wannabe actress Leslie Bibb) has also "off'd" herself, he goes on a quest to reunite with her -- but his aims are questioned when he meets gorgeous hitchhiker Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon), who claims "she's not supposed to be here."
But this is not your typical devil and fire underworld; it is a parched, trashy SoCal locale, littered with sarcastic wanderers and broken sofas. Bobby Johnston's score -- obviously inspired by the music of Jon Brion and Tom Waits (cast perfectly as the mysterious yet angelic Kneller) rounded out the atmosphere of this quirkily original yet accessible film.
The unique premise and fresh and witty comedy has left my fingers crossed for a DVD release so I can show it to friends who couldn't fit inside the theater.
