Off The Beaten Path

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Image courtesy of (impawards.com)

Notable Cast Members:

Billy Crudup..”¦”¦..FH
Samantha Morton..”¦”¦..Michelle
Denis Leary”¦”¦”¦.Wayne
Jack Black..”¦”¦..Georgie
Dennis Hopper..”¦”¦..Bill
Holly Hunter..”¦”¦..Mira

Film Synopsis:

Georgie: Does everything you touch turn to shit? Does this happen to you every time?
FH: (weeping) No wonder everybody calls me “Fuckhead.”
Georgie: It’s a name that’s going to stick.
FH: I realize that.
Georgie: “Fuckhead” is gonna ride you to your grave.
FH: I already said so, I agreed with you in advance.

When the main character of the film is named “Fuckhead” (Billy Crudup) you know you’re not in for a regular movie. FH is a lovable loser type character who stumbles through this film getting himself into one odd situation after another. A bulk of the film focuses on his relationship with Michelle (Samantha Morton) but that isn’t really what the film is “about.” In fact the film doesn’t really come off as being “about” anything and that’s the beauty of it.

As FH wanders through this film he meets a series of very colorful characters. He goes out with his drinking buddy Wayne (Denis Leary) to take the copper out of a house so they can sell it for drugs. FH goes on to work overnights as an orderly in a hospital with fellow orderly and drug addict Georgie (Jack Black in one of his finest and earlier roles). FH later finds himself in a rehab ward where he helps fellow inmate Bill (Dennis Hopper) shave. And finally FH winds up working in an old folks home and he meets Mira (Holly Hunter) and they save some pleasant moments together.

There isn’t much of a plot here, but that’s not why you watch it. Jesus’ Sons strength lies in its moments. FH and Wayne watching a topless woman parasailing, FH and Georgie helping a man with a knife in his eye, FH spying on a Mennonite family that he passes on his walk home. These moments are wonderful and fill you with a kind of childish glee that feels similar to that of what FH himself must be going through. It’s the kind of movie you can pop into your DVD player and just watch a scene or two to put a smile on your face.

FH narrates the film as well, guiding the audience through this seemingly pointless movie giving us insight into who he is and where he’s coming from in all of this. Even though he’s doing drugs and other illegal activities FH has a kind of juvenile naivety that just puts a smile on your face.


“We’ll breakfast on it’s haunches!”

The Story Behind It:

After seeing Almost Famous, my wife and I fell in love with Billy Crudup and wanted to see other films of his. At the video store we rented Jesus’ Son and Waking The Dead to see what else he had to offer. We were instantly entranced by flighty narration that Crudup provided the film. We were also sucked into FH’s life and the events that transpired throughout. We loved Waking The Dead as well, but it was Jesus’ Son that suck with us long after we saw it and I bought it soon after.

I’ve seen the film many times now and I love it more and more after each viewing. While it’s hard to pick a favorite scene, the one that always stands out to me is the time FH spends with Georgie. While driving down the road Georgie hits a rabbit. He stops the car, turns to FH and in a totally serious tone says, “Rabbit Stew! We’ll camp in the wilderness, and I nthe morning we’ll breakfast on its haunches!” Hilarious!

At the time Jack Black was making his way up the acting ladder as well and was still making an impression in small roles like High Fidelity and A Cradle Will Rock. Seeing him in Jesus’ Son cemented my love of him. Sure, he’s made some bad films since then, but nobody’s perfect.

Mike Noyes received his Masters Degree in Film from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco. A few of his short films can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/mikebnoyes. He recently published his first novel which you can buy here: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-Years-Mike-Noyes-ebook/dp/B07D48NT6B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528774538&sr=8-1&keywords=seven+days+seven+years