Wristcutters: A Love Story

I was feeling a little down last night. I had a falling out with a friend of mine and it was almost entirely my fault. Alright it was entirely my fault. So I went to the grocery store and picked up some food and more importantly some beer. I already apologized to her via email and I haven't heard back from her as to whether she accepted my apology or not. There was nothing on television and I really didn't feel like sitting around all night feeling sorry for myself and waiting to see if I got any emails or comments on my blog from her or anyone else. I remembered that there was a movie on the HD on Demand movie channel that another friend had recommended. The title of the movie is Wristcutters: A Love Story. Initially I was not really that excited to watch a film that based on its title was about people committing suicide. Not exactly uplifting under any circumstances, but when I was already in a somewhat depressive state it seemed like a bad idea. Not that it would be dangerous for me to watch the movie or anything as I wasn't that depressed and despite being down at times in my life cutting my wrists or any other attempts at suicide were never an option for me.

Since I had nothing else to do I relented and decided to watch the movie. I knew it was an independent movie and I am often a fan of indie movies so I was prepared for an offbeat experience. I had previously read the plot for the movie so I was somewhat aware of what to expect. It starts out with a young probably college age man named Zia played by Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous, Bickford Schmeckler...,) who commits suicide by cutting his wrists. Yeah not exactly an uplifting way to start the movie. Anyway when he dies he goes to a pergutory of sorts where everyone who has committed suicide goes. It is sort of a wasteland which appears to be the desert lands somewhere in Nevada, Arizona or Eastern California. No one smiles. Everyone committed suicide so that is not really a surprise. Zia has a pretty mundane job at Kamikaze Pizza (this is also the name of the graphic novel which like this movie was based on the short story short story "Kneller's Happy Campers" by Isreali author Etgar Keret) and soon befriends a Russian man, played by Shea Wigham (never heard of this actor nor had I seen him in anything else but he is likely the best part of the whole movie), who killed himself while onstage performing, He was a lead singer in a band. They play a lot of the music from this band in the movie which was apparently supplied by a band called Gogol Bordello. The music eventually grew on me as did the movie.

The duo soon goes on the road in search of Zia's girlfriend, played by Leslie Bibb (Talladega Nights, Iron Man) after he learns that she committed suicide a month after he did. She left him which was the impetus for his suicide. On their journey they meet up with some interesting characters including a young woman, played by Shannyn Sossamon (One Missed Call), who insists that there was a mix up and that she did not commit suicide but actually accidentally overdosed. She is determined to meet whoever runs this place and clear up what she feels is a misunderstanding.

Other appearaces are made by some interesting actors you may be familiar with including the always colorful Tom Waits and Will Arnett in a brief role. The movie does indeed live up to its name and if you like indie movies you will probably like this movie. If you do not think a slow paced road movie featuring some colorful characters and an admittedly unconventional subject matter is for you than maybe it isn't. It starts out with someone cutting his wrists and going to a purgatory for those who committed suicide so they obviously take some liberties with reality along the way. I was not really looking forward to this movie and by the end of it I was not only a fan of the movie, I also felt better than I did before watching the movie. Who would think that a movie that starts with someone slitting their wrists actually cheered me up.