Courtesy of eOne Films
Dir: John Inwood - feature film directorial debut
Cast: Heather Graham, Jennifer Coolidge, Amber Heard, Joey Lauren Adams, Matthew Settle, Sam Lloyd, Farah White
USA, 2009
Reason to see: Femme-centric with attitude is a yes for me!
I was very curious about ExTerminators from the premise alone of a new spin on hit(wo)men genre, this one focuses on termination of exes from a trio of women who meet through an anger management group. I was a little worried at first with the blend of crime and comedy, but once it hits it's stride it's swiftly settles into the world of dark deadpan comedy and I was laughing while being along for the ride.
Heather Graham stars as Alex, a meek accountant that after an incident meets and makes new friends Stella (Jennifer Coolidge) and Nikki (Amber Heard) in rage therapy group. They all have common ground with their rage being focused against or as a result of the men in their lives, and as one thing leads to another it seems only natural that they turn this rage into results. I was impressed at how they didn't totally back hand any moral implications of the actions but rather addressed them, all the while keeping the comedic tone up to boot. Normally this isn't a subject I'd run to for comedy but they really pulled it off which means not only is it a great go-to film for ugly break ups, but enjoyable at any time.
One of the most striking things about the film were the truth amidst the comedy, like the dead-on examples of casual sexual harassment or the dynamics of womens friendships. But my favourite thing about it was Jennifer Coolidge, who was hilarious and has an amazing knack for pulling off the craziest lines with casual exasperation. Loved here. Also enjoyed lots of the supporting cast, including Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy) and Matthew Settle.
DVD Extras:
- Gag Reel (21 minutes) lots and lots of outtakes, many with a bit of an improv feel as the dialogue can be variations from the actual film. Jennifer Coolidge in particular is hilarious through these. It was really fun to watch these and made me realize how rarely I see gag reels on DVDs! I like 'em!
& Amazon.com
Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'd watch it again
I recommend it for fans of femme-centric comedy with a bit of a dark edge
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© Shannon Ridler, 2010
Courtesy of eOne Films - Jennifer Coolidge and Heather Graham
Courtesy of eOne Films - Amber Heard
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