Small Apartments

Plot synopsis:
Franklin Franklin is a hairless, overweight, eccentric social misfit and compulsive hoarder obsessed with Switzerland, who walks around wearing little more than briefs and mismatching socks and lives on a diet consisting of Moxie soda and pickles with mustard. Living alone in an almost bare apartment in a rundown building complex in Southern California populated with other eccentrics, including cynical stoner Tommy Balls, neurotic geriatric recluse Mr. Allspice, and aspiring dancer Simone who lives with her mother - both of whom may or may not be prostitutes.
At an earlier point, Franklin's landlord Mr. Olivetti accidentally died after slipping on spilled mustard caused by sneezing fits when receiving fellatio from Franklin over frequent unpaid rent. In an effort to get rid of Olivetti's body, Franklin takes it to Olivetti's house and tries to stage it as a suicide, implementing an unlikely over-array of suicide methods. Attempting to dump Olivetti's pickup truck in the outskirts of town results in Franklin being robbed (of both his brother's watch and Olivetti's truck) and assaulted by two very dimwitted muggers.
The next day, Franklin wonders why he hasn't gotten his weekly audiotape from his institutionalized brother Bernard, whom Franklin almost idolizes as Bernard is handsome, charismatic and popular and included Franklin in his social life. Unknown to Franklin, Bernard has died of an inoperable brain tumor and among Bernard's effects is an envelope holding a key to a locker containing a recorded message revealing that Bernard stole from his employer and has left Franklin a savings in a Swiss bank account and a passport in a new identity. Meanwhile, fire investigator Burt Walnut, and other detectives examine Olivetti's body, and quickly conclude that it's staged due to Franklin's amateurishness, and put a lookout for his pickup truck. Walnut, visiting the apartment complex, meets Balls and Allspice and becomes suspicious of Franklin. Walnut is estranged from his wife (who was having an affair with his cousin), and learns that Allspice's wife died around the time as Olivetti's wife, 13 years ago.
Working at his convenience store, Balls shatters Simone's dancing dreams with his brutal honesty; upset, she hides in the restroom. Balls is then held up by Franklin's muggers, who shoot Balls in the torso when startled by Simone. Franklin returns to his apartment, but seeing the police, keeps on driving. Walnut discovers that Allspice has committed suicide, (likely upset over the death of Olivetti as Allspice revealed that they were close friends) and when answering a phone call by Franklin, is asked to adopt Franklin's dog (also named Bernard). Walnut informs Franklin of the muggers' arrest, calling them Olivetti's murderers, remarking of Olivetti that "some might say that he had it coming to him."
Although innocent, Franklin takes his Switzerland flight (dressed in shorts and button up shirt), sitting next to Dr. Sage Mennox, a self-help author whom Bernard obsessed over. Franklin tells Dr. Mennox that his brother had died, and was not insane (as Mennox had previously asserted), but had actually been impaired by a fatal brain tumor "the size of a racquet ball". Mennox is taken off guard by this, and Franklin (who has held a grudge against him for belittling Bernard, his hero, in the past), slyly remarks that they would be stuck together, in this awkward situation (on Mennox's part), for the duration of a very long flight.
Ultimately, Franklin is seen in Switzerland standing in front of the Matterhorn mountain surrounded by three attractive Swiss women in Swiss folk costume.

Tags: murder

Review:
But there is no doubt it carves it's own path, and a fairly unique one - which isn't easy to do nowadays.I'll start by saying that it's a very funny movie at times - in an awkward sort of way.
But after it was over it I realized it had a much more impressive affect on me.It probably won't be obvious until the end that there was a lot of care put into the direction and dialogue of this movie.
It really is a very skillful little movie.If you come across it, check it out, and don't abandon it after five minutes because it seems too odd.
I found myself mentally casting actors to play the amazingly quirky but identifiable characters.
A great amount of time passed before "Small Apartments" found its way into the hands of a director who "got it".I have to say that it is difficult, for me, not to compare this work to that of Tarantino, if only for the raw emotional concept, quirky behaviors and "street view" filming process.
I can't imagine anyone other than the "heavyweights" who breathe life into characters like Franklin Franklin (Matt Lucas), Burt Walnut (Billy Crystal) and Tommy Balls (Johnny Knoxville) but it doesn't stop there.
both are addressed in Small Apartments, however, it brings home the very real point that true happiness lives in our mind, however small or large!I was both eager and apprehensive about finally watching this film, especially knowing the author, screenplay writer and executive producer (Chris Millis) on a personal level...
I rented this movie from a Redbox, for something amusing to watch on a night off from work.
Instead, I found it to be a psychological cross section of character studies of people I don't get to see much in films, or life, for that matter.
But these people have their own dreams and dignities, that we may scoff at, but are what keep them going.Matt Lucas brings a kind of innocent goofiness to his character, Franklin Franklin.
That said, it changed my empathy for his character very much.Why Franklin finds himself in the dilemma of disposing of his landlord's dead body comes as a surprise, and as he goes about it, the viewer comes to know Franklin better.There is some wonderful star power in this movie, and they shine subtly, but brilliantly.
even Johnny Knoxville who I have never rated, or really thought of as an actor, was brilliant.Its a Dark Comedy that slowly unravels whilst keeping you on the edge of your seat the entire time before ending perfectly.I did almost give this film 9 out of 10 but when I thought about it, I couldn't think of a single thing that would lose this film any marks..
It was not enough to punch the eject but - Wow that character is weird is all I will say.By movie's end I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised, a very good movie that held my interest all the way through.
The movie in question is a 2012 American black comedy directed by a famous video maker (Jonas Åkerlund) and tells the story of an odd obese Switzerland-fan (Franklin Franklin, distinguishably performed by Matt Lucas) who inadvertently kills his landlord.
All the characters - in spite of their rank in society - are strange zanies, and even if briefly on screen, they are catchy thanks to good/distinctive actors such as James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Billy Crystal, James Marsden, Peter Stormare, Amanda Plummer, Dolph Lundgren - first and foremost.
Apart from crazy moments and depictions, the plot contains several "correct" views on love, friendship, family relations etc, making it hectic and uneven at times, and there are some ending predictability related to the protagonist and bad guys.
But as the movie is not long (around 1,5 hours), it is still catchy to watch and you will have your laughs and chuckles..
You do not fall in love with its characters or empathize with them but it definitely scares you to see their lives and you pray not to end up like them.
This movie forces you to confront or at least acknowledge the alienation,apathy,and surrender of some in the modern society who live on it fringe with little expectation of any worthwhile impact on anyone's life other than their own.
But still it leaves you with a nice little message about forgiveness , family and the meaning of a well lived life.You are not going to remember this movie for long but it's decently directed eerie movie for a select few who are patient enough to take a lesson home.PS: Watch at your own risk.Either you will hate it or you will applaud the efforts for such a real depiction of lives in small apartments!.
He finds the distractions of lust, the death of his beloved brother and a crew of misfit characters, forcing him on a journey where a fortune awaits him.This is one weird movie.
Johnny Knoxville is probably the least weird person in the movie.
trying to see if you are worthy of the message this movie delivers,-Literally - the filmmakers have given you life's meaning, spelled out word for word, in a crappy little semi-comedy, on the surface that's what this film is ...
but, I'll bet you a dollar, this film makes you cry.The main character spends the whole film in his underwear, and Johnny Knoxville does a great job of breaking his typecast in this, I cant say this movie is like ..it's not like anything i can think of...maybe kinda has the same feel and pace as "spun", it is not like anything i have seen, it is a twisted tale of human interaction, told from an unwitting standpoint...
I went into watching this movie expecting another indie drama with a big ensemble cast and just enough quirk to be cool with the hipsters.
The plot revolves around Franklin Franklin, a bizarre man living alone in well, a small apartment, and his interactions and excursion with his various neighbors.
I completely understand the negative reviews from critics, because the movie isn't perfect, There is some bizarre writing and story choices that might not bode well with audiences, but I honestly think that this movie is, in a way, a masterpiece.
The characters all start off weird and somewhat repulsive, but as the movie progresses you begin understanding them and you begin to feel for them.
The reason for that is that the acting was fantastic, everyone played their character greatly, and there were little to no weaker parts to the performances.
Funnily enough he had starred in similar surprise movie, "Interstate 60", also well worth a watch.
Acting is great, Matt Lucas is superb as Franklin Franklin, a slightly mentally challenged loner who longs for his much cooler brother's affection.
Having since seen the trailer, I think it is a real spoiler to where the film is going to take you.
What a bizarre but delightful little movie!
If you like odd plot lines and characters with attention grabbing antics and dialog - this is your movie because it is perfectly told.I only found this treasure because I was looking for movies with Juno Temple.
Had never heard of this flick and after reading the other actors names I certainly had to give this a look!At a certain point in the story you can guess what will happen to Franklin Franklin but the charm of this film is how the story gets you there.
And on the way you will have numerous surprises!A good movie!.
Not that other characters portrayed in this movie are without any flaws or doubts themselves.
But while it's an ensemble piece our big friend is the one who's playing front and center (tonally and picture wise).You sometimes wish some characters would have gotten more screen time, like the landlord, who has some very funny but also very offensive things and lines to do in the movie.
If you relish the quirkiness of "Juno", "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "Little Miss Sunshine", then you have to see this movie.
I won't go into the detail of the plot line as there are plenty of reviews on that already, but if you relish the out of the ordinary compared to the typical Hollywood fare, then watch this movie.
This movie is about the story, and the lives of the characters within the story..
This is one of my most favorite movies.A quirky story, one to be enjoyed through multiple viewings.
The surprises are in the cast and their contributions to this.While Matt Lucas is wonderful as the white-underpants clad protagonist, it is the others around him that really shine.Some delightful cameos from many famous and deserving actors, but special mention must go to James Caan as Mr Allspice, Billy Crystal in a great role where he performs understatedly, Dolph Lundgren, Peter Stormare and most especially Johnny Knoxville for his superlative performance as Tommy Balls.
It is at least quite quirky and keeps you involved.However, as the film progresses, you learn about the various characters and realize it has much deeper meaning and dialog.
The movie just gets better and better until an ending which anybody has to love.
This is a movie that sticks and will have you thinking about it long afterwards.The lowly rating on this has me thinking that people just didn't see anything in the first 5 minutes to keep them going.
And when there is a dead landlord in his apartment the story takes off from there.
With couple of other different and a bit bizarre characters getting involved.
Originally drawn to it because I'm a fan of Per Gessle who does the soundtrack, after watching it I was pleasantly surprised at what a little gem of a movie it is.
What we see is a pretty uninteresting story, told to us in a slightly dark, moody, nevertheless humorous, and - in any case - highly original way.This presentation surely makes 'Small apartments' an unusual film.
Hiding his landlord's dead body becomes the least of a social miscast's problems in this offbeat indie comedy starring Little Britain's Matt Lucas.
There is one very funny, darkly comic moment as his staging of his landlord's death as suicide backfires, however, best moments here belong to the supporting cast with James Caan as a grouchy neighbour, a near-unrecognisable Dolph Lundgren as an eccentric self-help book author and an equally near unrecognisable Peter Storemare as the odious landlord.
The film is so reliant on oddball elements though that things fall apart near the end as the narrative takes a sharp, dramatic turn when Lucas discovers some unexpected things about his brother.
That said, there is a lot to like in how the events of the film indirectly lead to justice being carried out with regards to two supporting characters.
The setting is pretty nifty too with 'Rear Window' parallels in plentiful supply, and the film almost serves as a comical spin on the seminal Hitchcock movie with the extreme oblivion of all residents to the landlord's disappearance - and his body being dragged out in full view at night!.
This is a fringe film to be sure unusual but rewarding for the effort if you can enjoy a non mainstream small budget movie with minimal production values but a sincere effort with no weak performances in my opinion but a truly wonderful performance from Billy Crystal and others an oddball little gem and music is fresh and works well .
But I hope I have maybe added to the interest in watching this lark this fun and even interesting little gem ..
This film tells the story of a bald man, who lives in a small apartment with his dog.
One day, he accidentally kills his landlord, and he has to cover it up and dispose of the body."Small Apartment" is also light Cindy and it is very funny.
Out on a limb creativity makes for interesting/great movie.
This movie is not a traditional hero conquers oppressive forces finds love with an out of his league chic then acquires instant fame flick.From the beginning, seeing the main character, Franklin Franklin, how he dresses- various wigs and tight white under drawers (which is pretty much how I imagine all bloggers, except me, dress at home), it is clear that this movie is quite different.75% of the film has the main character in those tight white under drawers.
Not long after the opening credits, he has to dispose of a body, gets tricked by a mean teenage girl, and keeps blowing on an alp-horn when he needs to check out for a bit.There are many interesting aspects to this film, not the least of which is the fact that it is based on the winning novel of a three day novel writing contest.The performances of Matt Lucas, James Caan and the especially lovely toned-down Billy Crystal make this an extremely worth while watch or even a keeper..
This movie has strange characters played by interesting choice of actors.
Every time Franklins neighbors ask if the has seen the landlord he just blatantly says that he's dead on the floor, but nobody delves further into the claim.
All in all, you should watch this movie.
i liked the movie, the story is great!
despite the fact that the book was written in a 3 day contest it also is a great mixture of comedy (very dark humor), a little bit of drama and at last but not least it has a massage hidden and in the end outspoken...
so its not a big surprise with the ending little bit to predictable, but for a novel its OK.
i didn't really like little Britain and was a bit sceptical about the movie, but mr.
lundgren is a surprise, don't want to tell spoilers but i really loved his character and the style in which he was presented (specially the colours!) knoxville was OK and fitted perfectly into what he was expected in his character, not that kind of skilled acting needed i think the director put the novel into what it should be, a really good adopted movie!
the story lines are not really merged but the fact that maybe one can find oneself in some of the characters is interesting sometimes you think its getting boring, but in the end you will definitely enjoy it!.
Yes, this movie can make you uncomfortable, since watching mealy, weak people get beaten up is never too much fun, but I could sense something good was going to happen to Matt Lucas.
When a clumsy deadbeat accidentally kills his landlord, he must do everything in his power to hide the body.But the distractions of lust, the death of his beloved brother, and a crew of misfit characters, force him on a journey where a fortune awaits him......Well there is no doubt that its one of the most bizarre films that I've seen in a very long time, and if your not a fan of Akurland and his narrative flow, you probably won't like this.But the wealth of characters in this film, and the way that they are handled, as well as carrying the main protagonists narrative, is very impressive.The fact that you care about every single character, as well as follow a flashback narrative, and the present narrative, takes some doing, and he pulls it off.The first and second acts are the best, and they are a fascinating insight into the human psyche, with the individuals dealing with different stages of emotion, and barriers.But the last act loses its way, and although Lucas is a good actor, he just cannot carry the film in his own.But the film is well worth seeing, and Lundgren hasn't been this good in forever..
I can't recall the last time it took almost a full paragraph's worth of text to describe the main character in this film.
And wait till I tell you more.Franklin loves eating his pickles with mustard on them, wandering aimlessly around his apartment with his loyal dog, and keeping several different wigs handy for the next time he goes out.
He is played by Johnny Knoxville in one of the film's only interesting performances.
Well, Franklin just so happened to kill his landlord because of a small little uprising and now must dispose of the body.
Small Apartments is so juvenile, grotesque, and often bleak that it comes off as a sad character study on several lost souls that we want to hug, not laugh at.If the reprehensible Movie 43 combined almost every mainstream, A-lister Hollywood could offer at that point in time, Small Apartments should go down as the Movie 43 of independent films, featuring a large cast of charming screen actors in less-than-charming material.
Matt Lucas, who is predominately famous for Little Britain, does fine work playing a character we're rather unsure of, Johnny Knoxville, as stated, is pretty good, Juno Temple is welcomed, Rebel Wilson, in her concise role, isn't too bad, Billy Crystal is a nice addition, James Caan is cool, and DJ Qualls is good, albeit shortchanged and woefully underused.
Yet what soils most of their appearances is the fact that they are subjected to obsessively quirky material and uninteresting banter that substitutes plot progression.Director Jonas Åkerlund, who worked for several years in the music video field, likely relished the thought of having an ample amount of time to construct a story from the ground up, and thus, Small Apartments features a design similar to that of a skit or music video.
I laughed on occasion, grew restless frequently, and overall, will regard the experience with mounting confusion and perplexing emotions.Starring: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple, and Rebel Wilson.
Yes, though I wasn't feeling lyrical about it, I was having good fun with this 'Small Apartments' and its inhabitants and visitors.
But then there's the ending which takes place while the dead character Bernard Franklin speaks to us by a tape that is labeled 'the answer'...