Song of the day: “Ready or Not” by The Fugees

Special

Director: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore
Genre: Drama
Year: 2006

There is nothing wrong with Les (Michael Rapaport; Hitch, 29 Palms). Sure he lives alone well into his thirties and seems to have no real relationships, unless you want to count his friendship with the two brothers at the comic book store. He has a job in parking enforcement – nothing to howl about, but it could be a lot worse. And while he might have a bit of an issue socially, he is not so completely out there that one could label him a freak. All things considered, the guy simply…is.

When Les goes to check out the trials for Special, a new pharmaceutical in the testing stages, he wants to be a part of that trial, not so much out of need but a desire for improvement. This drug, they say, is supposed to elevate your confidence, give you that one boost that you are going to need to succeed, and the drug promises to be a big hit, if it can pass its clinical trial.

The instructions are simple enough: one pill a day. Done.

So Les takes it, initially feeling nothing, and then…he begins to feel Special, the first signs of which making themselves known when he finds himself levitating over his couch. Soon enough, he can also read people’s thoughts and run through walls, he has become a super hero!

Except he hasn’t.

Turns out the drug has had an adverse reaction on him and it has fooled his brain into making him feel super human. The doctor tries to explain this to him but…you try convincing a super hero to give up his powers. Needless to say, Les goes on to make his outfit and save mankind from the clutches of evil, even if half of the evil is really in his head and the way he goes about ‘helping’ is largely a fantasy. Blurring the lines of reality, uncertain of what is and isn’t, Les if suddenly lost in a world where he is no longer exactly sure of what is real and what is not, leading to a story that is both comical and tragic at the same time.

Let it be said that Michael Rapaport is special indeed. He single-handedly carries this film on his back with the best performance I have ever seen him give and when his support cast stumbles or flounders, he is there to more than pick up the slack. Shot in with what seems to be a low budget and with directing that tried to hit the mark and was just a little off, it really comes down to Rapaport and the really intriguing concept to make this film still very likable and thought provoking.

Touching into matters that most superhero films do not get into, this time around we can see the human side to it, the difficult side to it, the painful side to it, even if it is a fantasy for a man that has lost all touch with reality. It also explores relationships, over-medication and the role of pharmaceutical companies in society and the way they operate. Even if a lot of the cast feels like the B-list actors that they are, Rapaport makes this film very much worth your while and you might decide in the end this is not worth the purchase, but I doubt you will decide it was not worth the watch.

Rating:
Comments: Strong language and brief violence, mostly kept light save for a final confrontational scene which does have a number of ‘wince’ moments.
Quote: Les: The truth is, with so many billions and billions of people on the planet, most of us can’t be unique or important in any meaningful way.