(REDUNDANCY ALERT!!!!) Crap! I accidentally reviewed this movie twice. Forgot to remove it from my list of movies to review after reviewing it the first time. Oh, well. Let’s see what happens.

movie coverI'd rather be watching TV![IMDB link] [Netflix link] Be careful with this one — there’s tons of movies called “Wasted”, even with similar descriptions at times. This is the 2006 version. They probably should have stuck with the “Farewell Bender” title, as that is more appropriate.

PEOPLE: Eddie Kaye Thomas, who is becoming quite well-known to Carolyn & I. He seems to be popping up in movies we choose to watch quite often. Kip Pardue. Adam Carolla. Marisa Coughlan (from Super Troopers). Josh Cooke (also in Young People Fucking, a movie we later watched). Also, Twin Peaks fans (!!!!) should notice that the priest is played by Chris Mulkey (aka Hank Jennings), who was also in Cloverfield — which we didn’t notice. (He also voiced a villain in 3 episodes of Batman Beyond.)

QUIRKS: A “coming of age”, 20-something film. Plenty of substance abuse, but this is not a party movie. This is based on the real-life experiences of the 2 writers (1 of which is also the director.)

I basically described this movie as a combination of The Wackness, SubUrbia, and Just Friends.

While I doubt many people have seen all 3 of those films, it really does describe the 3 overwhelming themes to this movie. 1) Appreciating and dealing with life and death. 2) Returning home to face your previous social role in your hometown. 3) Trying to find love but being placed in the “friend zone”. I am really surprised by how well this equation holds up.

BAD STUFF: Well, it is kind of depressing! This is a slow drama. Ouch.

It’s especially depessing if you consider how in the ending, [highlight for spoilers]→ everyone falls back into their original ruts at the end of the movie, basically changing nothing. Nor does Eddie Kaye Thomas get the girl. Which is no surprise, since the only time that happened was in Dirty Love, which was written by Jenny McCarthy, directed by her husband, and got a 2.1 or so on IMDB. :)

CONCLUSION: It was at times an emotional drama. I’m just not sure what lesson I took out of it.

I would rather revel in the individual 3 movies that I consider the components of this movie:

The Wackness – a better drama with better lessons about life.
SubUrbia – a better slow drama with possibly better dialog, and a more indie feel
Just Friends – a romantic comedy. While not necessarily better, it stars Ryan Reynolds essentially playing the same character and acting same plot as Eddie Kaye Thomas in this movie — but without the distractions of the other characters in Wasted (2006).

RECOMMENDATION: I wouldn’t recommend this to people who like the kind of movies I like. I’d recommend the other 3 movies instead.

COINCIDENCES:
#1: (Splendor, Wasted) 2 movies within a week or so that both unexpectedly had Adam Corolla in a small part.

#2: (Just Friends, Wasted) 2 movies in a row with people returning to the town they went to high school in, as well as scene/plots involving trying to get out of the ‘friend zone’ by dating a female friend they were interested in. Oh, and

Mood: again: fuck the anti-gay-marriage, anti-freedom voters
Music: Sisters Of Mercy – Anaconda (live)