Movie Review

Frownland (2008)

Reviewed by Owen Gleiberman | Mar 12, 2008

Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman is a film critic for EW

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EW's GRADE

A-

Details Limited Release: Mar 09, 2008; Rated: Unrated; Length: 106 Minutes; Genre: Comedy; With: Paul Grimstad and Dore Mann

$MAKING IT REGISTER Dore Mann\'s performance as a loser coupon salesman in the startling comedy Frownland is impossible to discount Frownland, Dore Mann$

MAKING IT REGISTER Dore Mann's performance as a loser coupon salesman in the startling comedy Frownland is impossible to discount

It takes daring to build a film around a discombobulated loser who sells coupons and can barely splutter out a sentence; it takes vision to make his desperation ours. Frownland, Ronald Bronstein's startling comedy, is like a mumblecore Eraserhead directed by John Cassavetes. It's a look at a New York ''bohemia'' that's passed its expiration date. You may not realize that Dore Mann, who's like the harmless twit son of Son of Sam, is acting, but when he lurches through a nightmare party as ''Jailhouse Rock'' echoes, he's as poignant as a modern-day Hunchback of Notre-Dame. A-

Originally posted Mar 12, 2008 Published in issue #983 Mar 21, 2008 Order article reprints

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