The Chumscrubber
directed by Arie Posin
story by Arie Posin
screenplay by Zac Stanford

          The Chumscrubber assembles such an amazing collection of actors that their mishandling by novice director Arie Posin is unforgivable. The filmmaker’s disorganized commentary on the ignorance of suburban parents packs on the subplots and supporting characters as if it were combining multiple scripts rather than weaving relative stories. It is almost as if Posin fears he won’t be allowed a follow-up so every idea he’s ever had is thrown into his debut. Now the chance of a sophomore effort is even smaller. Jamie Bell is devoted as can be with his common outcast part as he plods through a small community hopped up on anti-depressants while being blackmailed by a kidnapping bully (Justin Chatwin) from school. Meanwhile Allison Janney brightens up her own scenes as a clueless mom one step above the actress’ catatonic role in American Beauty. Rounding out the talented cast is Glenn Close, William Fichtner, Jason Isaacs, Carrie-Anne Moss, John Heard and Rita Wilson, all doubtlessly unaware of what film they are in. Ralph Fiennes is so confused that he isn’t even independently convincing, portraying the town mayor as if he were an autistic visitor from another planet.
The cast cannot be blamed, though. The primary fault, above the convoluted script and scattered company, is Posin’s lack of commitment to a consistent tone. Mostly alternating between serious observational drama and ludicrous black comedy, The Chumscrubber at times is a surreal farce, a quirky sitcom or a tragic parable. Fluctuating between compassion and sarcasm towards its characters, the film is overly pointed in its criticisms but insufficiently indifferent in its viewpoint. On the heels of over twenty years of sharp suburban satire, Posin’s contribution is like a cluttered eyesore at the dead-end of a tract-housing street.

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