You’re just going to have to get past the title. Trust me, it’s worth it. Writer/director Tyler Cornack’s Butt Boy, debuting on April 14th here in the US, is a truly unique and entertaining flick. A darkly comedic fantastical thriller that maximizes its $150,000 budget, it takes its silly premise and subverts expectations by playing it almost completely straight.
The film begins with a 15-minute prolog wherein we meet schlubby Chip Gutchell (Cornack). Trapped in a troubled marriage with Anne (Shelby Dash), the young father discovers bizarre relief from his unhappy existence while undergoing his first prostate exam. In secret, Chip then begins to gratify himself by shoving increasingly larger items into his seemingly cavernous asshole, culminating in the anal ingestion of a small child. Flash forward nine years and we meet our other co-lead, heartbroken police detective Russel Fox (Tyler Rice). It seems that Chip has turned to Alcoholics Anonymous to suppress his strange addiction, which is where he meets Russel, agreeing to become the cop’s sponsor. Unfortunately, while getting to know each other over dinner, the detective’s detailed description of his cravings triggers Chip. Soon, Russel begins to suspect Chip may be the culprit in his latest case as we discover the extent of Chip’s strange and supernatural appetite. Significant supporting roles belong to Brad Potts as a gruff police chief and Austin Lewis as Chip’s overly enthusiastic boss. Angela Jones aka Esmarelda Villalobos from Pulp Fiction has a cameo as a doctor.
The script by Cornack and Ryan Koch (who also co-produced) is tight and focused. It doesn’t dwell on the absurdity or the mechanics of the situation opting instead for a matter of fact presentation that allows for easy acceptance by the audience. The focus is more on characters in any case, and we get to know Chip and Russel fairly well over the course of the 100-minute runtime as motivations and personalities are concisely doled out. My only nitpick with the movie overall is there are a few leaps in logic made by characters that don’t feel earned, with one being fairly major. That being said, I brushed these off quickly, immersed as I was.
Made up of mostly unknown, up and coming, or journeyman actors, the performances are solid as hell. Cornack is somewhat sympathetic as the pathetic Chip, though ultimately we cannot tolerate his unnatural obsession. Rice brings a twitchy intensity to the streetwise Russel. Together, they produce an engaging contrast and vibe well with the film’s offbeat anxiety. Though it’s a smaller part, I greatly enjoyed Lewis (who also edited) as the boisterous corporate douchebag. The humor in his scenes is a pleasing relief from the somewhat heavy tone of the rest of the picture.
Cornack’s direction is assured. The irony inherent to the film’s success is not the obvious sort. The laughs it mines are mostly not dependent on how ridiculous the premise is. There are no slapstick sequences and gross-out gags are cleverer than they have any right to be. Instead, humor is found in Chip’s awkwardness, the inexplicable aftermaths of Chip’s binges, and much bleaker places. After all, Cornack borrows from the addiction drama genre to conceal the story’s gooey black comedy.
William Morean’s camerawork is another important layer in the film’s stylish success. Languid tracking shots increase tension and add an almost eerie component. Additionally, the plentiful disorienting close-ups make the film fit comfortably with its thriller aspects and reminded me of classic Italian Giallo. The size of the objects in Morean’s compositions also highlights how large they are, deepening our appreciation of the surrealism of a man inserting impossibly large things up his ass. This is also keeping in mind that special effects are almost nonexistent, with much of the stranger actions in the story being conveyed through implication and editing. However, the effects that are used in the film’s absolutely bugnuts third act are effective and clearly photographed.
The final component in this fascinating low budget film’s success is the score by Feathers (Cornack and Koch). Droning and otherworldly, it pairs perfectly with the visuals and overall atmosphere. I love me a good electronic soundscape, and I was reminded here of Disasterpiece’s work on It Follows and Rob’s contributions to the Maniac remake.
It’s shocking that Tyler Cornack’s Butt Boy works so well, given its seemingly juvenile premise and its minuscule budget. I really would love to see what this filmmaking team could produce with more money at their disposal. Inventive, funny, polished, confident, melancholy, and tense, the film may not be flawless but it is definitely worth seeking out. I am highly impressed. Recommended for fans of Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Observe and Report.
Michael Cavender