Idle Hands
A TriStar Pictures release

review by Joe Mauceri

"Let me tell you about fate. Fate's like this big-ass bastard,
he's just ripped, and he can't move left or right. So why waste
the effort fighting him? It's best to just let life happen."
- Anton Tobias -

Live Fast. Die young. Leave a Bloody Corpse

What if Lucio Fulci directed "Pretty in Pink?" You'd have the "scarelarious" slacker comedy IDLE HANDS. Rodman Flender, a graduate of the Roger Corman film school, skillfully blends comedy and horror and delivers a wickedly good time at the movies. The screenplay borrows numerous scenarios from classic horror films and incorporates vintage slacker characters. Mix in a Halloween High School Dance for a big climax. The direction, screenplay and cast come together and put a fresh spin on the film. What easily could have been a typical "B" film exhibits an edge similar to the recent box office hit "There's Something About Mary." Flender does a wonderful job of showcasing all his actors to create a real ensemble. IDLE HANDS offers audiences equal amounts of blood and laughter, minus and real gore. Most of the nasty stuff on screen happens to Anton's renegade hand. The effects function more as sight-gags. Adding to the film's escalated sense of fun and scares is the harmonious mix of Graeme Revell's score with pop songs. Devon Sawa, Anton, is a wonderful physical actor, and the director puts him through the mill. Seth Green, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," is fabulous as a slacker zombie, and Jessica Marie Alba exudes sex appeal and charm. Hey, I'd even die for her. Hollywood is gearing up to shoot a couple of teen slasher spoofs. Films like "Naked Gun" and "Mafia" have become so common place, and over the top, that their brand of humor doesn't have the impact it use to. IDLE HANDS is a skillfully tempered mix of elements that are entertaining and funny. Great cast, wonderful directing and witty writing deliver a real screamer.

OFFICIAL WEB SITE:
www.spe.sony.com/movies/idlehands

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