When I first looked at the box for Best Man Down I did not expect that I would like it. It looked like a stupid romantic comedy starring Justin Long and felt a little annoyed that I had to watch it. So it was quite a shock to learn, as I watched the film, that it was nothing like what I expected it would be.
Scott (Long) and Kristin (Jess Weixler) are just married and Scott’s best man, Lumpy (Tyler Labine), is making a drunken fool of himself at the reception. Things take an unexpected turn when Lumpy falls off his hotel bed, while drunkenly jumping on it watching Ratt videos, and hits his head hard. Drunk, confused and bleeding he wanders out into the Arizona desert and dies.
Now Scott and Kristin have to cancel their honeymoon to fly back to Minnesota and plan Lumpy’s funeral. Going through his cell phone they find someone named Ramsey and they feel the need to figure out who this is so they can invite them to the funeral.
It turns out Ramsey (Addison Timlin) is a fifteen year old girl that Lumpy met and befriended. How their friendship developed and how their story ties into Scott and Kristin’s perception of who Lumpy was becomes the crux of the story.
Best Man Down is a film about perception. Just because we think we know someone doesn’t mean we actually do. Just because we see our friends one way, doesn’t mean others see them the same. As the film opens the audience is lead to see in Lumpy what Scott and Kristin and it’s not that good. He is presented as a drunken buffoon and we all know one of those. So it comes as a shock as, after his death, his full story is revealed and we learn how much more there was to this man. We also learn that there was more to his death than initially realized.
The film starts out pretty rough. Perhaps some of that was my initial negative feel towards the film, but the first twenty or so minutes is pretty awkward. The film kind of establishes itself as a rom-com, then it seems to delve more into a dark comedy, then finally it reveals itself to be a drama, and a sad one at that. Ramsey has a pretty terrible home life.
The acting in the film is great; it gets you through the early awkward scenes then really hit homes and the true heart of Best Man Down is revealed at the end. Justin Long is definitely known for his comedy, so it is great to see him deliver a solid dramatic performance here. Even if it will confuse people at to the type of movie they are about to watch, maybe this will open more doors to him.
Labine is great as Lumpy, he nails the drunken slop in the beginning and he nails the emotional scenes at the end (in flashback) as we see the friendship between Ramsey and Lumpy develop. Speaking of Ramsey, Timlin is easily the best actor in the film. If the film had been made a few years ago, this would have been a great role for a young Ellen Page, but it was made now, Timlin is given this chance to shine and shows that she will most likely grow into a very strong actress.
It takes a while for Best Man Down to figure out what kind of film it’s trying to be, but once it finds its footing to proves to be a very interesting film, with a very strong emotional ending that more than makes up for the awkward beginnings.
The film is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen format. The sound is in 5.1 Dobly Digital surround sound. The film looks and sounds fine.
For extras you get Outtakes (5 min.), Interviews (8 min.), AXS TV: A Look at Best Man Down (3 min.) and a trailer.
For a film I was not expecting to like, I was really pleasantly surprised how good Best Man Down turned out to be. It hits a very strong emotional note at the end that makes you glad you sat down and watched it.
Magnolia Home Entertainment presents Best Man Down. Written and Directed by Ted Koland. Starring: Justin Long, Jess Weixler, Tyler Labine, Addison Timlin and Shelley Long. Running time: 90 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released: January 21, 2014.
