“You know how some old people are asked to stop driving? It’s not that most of them are incapable, it’s just not particularly safe for them to be on the road. I mean that just about sums up how I feel about you as a psychiatrist.“
Trash Fire, the hugely anticipated third feature length film from Richard Bates Jr., is finally available on VOD services such as Amazon and iTunes. Bates Jr. may have a small filmography, but he has really made a name for himself with his films Excision (2012) and Suburban Gothic (2014). They really stand out with their witty dialogue, dark humour and outlandish style. Actors AnnaLynne McCord and Matthew Gray Gubler also returned to play secondary cast members in Trash Fire.
The film follows Owen (Adrian Grenier) and Isabel (Angela Trimbur)’s dysfunctional relationship and hints at the darkness Owen is trying to leave behind. For the sake of their relationship, Isabel makes him confront his past which results in them taking a trip to stay with Owen’s estranged family members: his sheepish sister Pearl (McCord) who was left disfigured after a fire, and their insolent grandmother Violet (Fionnula Flanagan).
The film sets its tone from the moment it begins. It’s bleak and dark, yet full of dry humour. We are first introduced to Owen during his therapy session where we learn an overview of his personality: he is rude and has some mental health issues due to a troubled past we don’t quite fully understand yet. Next we move onto Owen having dinner at a restaurant with his girlfriend Isabel who looks anything but pleased. It doesn’t take long for us to figure out how dysfunctional their relationship is and how much of an asshole Owen is. He is a misanthrope who drinks excessively and treats his girlfriend poorly with his constant sardonic remarks. His baggage offers an explanation to his behaviour and personality, but is at times uncomfortable to watch as Isabel suffers the backlash. Owen suffers from seizures and avoids talking about his family, or any family for that matter. He even has trouble being nice to Isabel’s gay brother Caleb (Gubler) and their friends, so it’s understandable why Isabel thinks he needs to repair his own family relationships first.
The first half of the film echoes what we’ve seen previously from Bates Jr. – hilarious deadpan delivery, an exceptional cast and an intriguing build up of story. The flashbacks we see from Owen’s seizures only tease us about his past unless he explains to Isabel what happened all those years ago. Once we get to meet Pearl and the delusional and brash Violet, the second half of the story really throws us into another mix. Beneath the religious subtext, there is something else going on with Violet which hints at lies, deceit and murder.
As a follow up of Bates Jr.’s previous works, Trash Fire goes exactly in the right direction. It manages to be witty and funny with the constant stream of smart, sardonic dialogue, whilst still carrying an unnerving sense of dread that builds with tension throughout the film. The characters are interesting and fleshed out and the film as a whole starts as one thing and seemingly spins out of control in a positive way. If you’re a fan of Bates Jr.’s previous work, then you’re going to love this.
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