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Released by: Breaking Glass Pictures
Released on: July 16th, 2013.
Director: George Griffith
Cast: George Griffith, Matthew Lillard, Ahna O'Reilly, Jon Polito, James Urbaniak
Year: 2012
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The Movie:
The strangely monikered Shoes (George Griffith - who also wrote and directs and probably fetched coffee for the crew) has a sort of heaven and hell job - he's the washroom attendant in a strip club. In close proximity to beautiful naked women on the one hand and forced to play therapist/towel guy to often pathetic men on the other, it seems the only consistent thing is the flow of small bills into the tip jar. Shoes is a naturally affable guy though and seems to get people talking to him without having to really try. It's part of what makes the job profitable but at the same time it is also what keeps Shoes IN the job. You sense he's genuinely interested in helping people. He's also a creature of habit who resists change.
HEAD's structure is pure simplicity - taking place over the course of one night it charts Shoe's interactions with various customers who come into the bathroom. Some come only once, a few (usually the saddest cases) are repeat customers and Shoes does his best to somehow make them feel better about their lives or more commonly alleviate their guilt. A lot of these men are stepping out on girlfriends or wives or are miserable commitment phobes who seek meaningless lap dances to avoid emotional connections.
One of the more interesting aspects of FROM THE HEAD is that it forces the viewer to actually think about what strip clubs offer their customers. Aside from the obvious eye-candy appeal there seems to be an awful lot of delusion going on. Quite a few guys think they have a "special relationship" with the lap dancer/stripper they've been buying the services of for a while - Shoes knows better. The married guys are often the worst, funnily enough.
The narrative thrust of the film is focused on Shoes' growing restlessness in a job he's had for three years now (most people are gone in months). He has family issues with his ill mother and drug addict brother that need tending to and he's slowly realized that what his customers have been telling him for years is right - he's wasting his life and talent in this place. Shoes is more than a hilarious joker who can pry your wallet open with a laugh - he's genuinely witty and insightful. He's even, gasp, poetic. Will he finally make a decision tonight?
Vide/Audio/Extras:
FROM THE HEAD's widescreen anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer looks pretty good for something shot cheap on Super 16mm film. Grain is present, normal looking and accounted for and edge enhancement and other nasty digital image manipulation is not in evidence. The film doesn't have the most natural color palette at times - it IS shot in a strip club after all, but detail and overall image look just fine for an SD presentation.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is nicely packed with ambient sound effects (clinking glasses and rustling clothing for example) and dialog and music sound clear and centered. No complaints in other words. Closed captions are also provided.
Aside from a trailer and some other Breaking Glass trailers the only real extra is a director commentary. It is an interesting track covering all relevant aspects of the production and quite personal. This was Griffith's pet project and it shows. At times a bit dry and either highly technical or introspective it is still a worthwhile listen.
The Final Word:
Recommended. FROM THE HEAD is an engaging and interesting drama.
