"Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" - Leo Grande

One night at the Norms diner in Los Angeles, a stranger clad in plastic and wiring (Sam Rockwell) staggers in claiming to be from the future and ready to detonate the bomb attached if he isn't obeyed: he is here to recruit the various diners for a mission to save the future, by destroying an AI which ruins their future, and their present, but hasn't figured out the right combination yet. A ragtag group of pressganged "volunteers" accompany the stranger on an evening voyage of madness... and possibly to save the future...

(Photo Credit: KCCI)
A slice of much needed gonzo madness, bright, bonkers and a definite return to form for Gore Verbinski (who keeps a tight hand on the reins to stop it from spiralling too far even as the nonsense and layers pile up), certainly his best since "Mouse Hunt". The film certainly owes a big debt to "Everything, Everywhere, All At Once" (I believe that Hollywood would never have released or even considered this were it not for that film doing gangbusters and making all of the money), and captures that same madcap energy. The opening, however, is pure Verbinski, namely "Mouse Hunt" (his best until this one): lots of cleverly synchronised, visually striking shots of spinning things in the diner, swooping parallels to the journey ahead; and it doesn't really let up after that. Verbinski's been doing this for years and I like it, plus I always appreciate a "Sorcerer" style series of vignettes to tell us about the people on this journey. It hops straight in and doesn't waste too much time with exposition, knowing that you're just along for the ride, throwing out "Groundhog Day" as shorthand for proceedings so you know what you're in for; and I respect that. The cast bounce along wonderfully, ans I appreciate that the makers have gone for the least obvious names: Rockwell is phenomenal as always, Haley Lu Richardson makes a wonderful impact and indeed nearly steals the show as a princess in combat boots who "creeps out" the stranger; Zazie Beetz and Michael Pena as married teachers are fun, and Juno Temple (giving off Kristen Wiig energy) appears as a single mother, and is excellent. It's genuinely funny, and the gonzo energy keeps it buouyant and enjoyable as it clocks at over two hours. It flags a tad in the final act confrontation, but does have Rockwell doing what everybody wanted to do to The Catalyst in "Mass Effect 3" so earns back so much good will from that. Whilst it takes a lot of satirical swings, most of them land, and are in service to its excellent script by Matthew Robinson (who wrote the delightful "Dora and the Lost City of Gold").
It's exciting, bonkers, different, fresh and original. And thus it's not doing well.