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UNEARTHEN
Produced by Rick J. Miller and David Otteni
Directed and Written by David OtteniJimbo - Rick J. Miller
Hamption Rizz - David Otteni
Forrest Grimes - Dale Hamilton
Curious Man - Joel ReevesThe old adage is that a movie is only as good as the script from which it's based, and that's never more evident than in David Otteni's UNEARTHEN, a 40 minute short that's all fun and games comprised entirely of wonderfully goofy dialogue between two loveably dumb rednecks. Think MY DINNER WITH BILLY BOB.
The set up is simple. Almost a year before, Jimbo and Hampton were out hunting when Jimbo shot something he shouldn't have. Since then, their lives have followed Murphy's Law all the way down the drain and into the festering septic tank. No jobs. No money. No food. From the moment they shot the mysterious creature, their lives have been a cursed hell.
Neither Jimbo nor Hampton have half a brain to call their own. Heck, between the two they still don't possesses half a brain. Their intellect is purely Forrest Gump, and their demeanor is all trailer park, but somehow they find the internal fortitude to struggle through their daily grind. Although, odds are, if they had the smarts, this white trash Laurel and Hardy would know they'd be better off snacking on the business end of a 12 gauge.
Somehow these two idiots come to the realization that it's possible to capitalize on their misfortune by digging up the long dead creature and selling it to the TV news for money. It's a last ditch effort to recoup what's they've lost, their dignity. It's the belief that while money can't buy happiness, it can sure as hell buy a 12 pack of self-worth. It's like going from Milwaukee's Best Light to Corona.
And Jimbo and Hampton are down to their last beer.
The movie hinges on Jimbo and Hampton's white trash rapport. They are the kind of best buds who hurl constant insults from sunup to sundown but know to never take the words to heart. If they did then they'd be alone in the world, and these two need each other. They have nothing else, their curse has seen to that.
While the majority of the humor comes from Otteni's witty dialogue, he's also crafted an excellent comedy of errors based around the "worst case scenario" in the form of The Curse. He pushes Murphy's Law as far as he can and then goes for that extra "umph" with a darkly demented plot twist that I admit I should have seen coming but was caught off guard by the antics of Jimbo and Hampton.
As Jimbo, Rick Miller, is the male of the pair. Gruff and grumpy, he's never without his can of beer, even when trekking miles through the woods. He's the kind of guy that would send you heading for the other side of the bar just so you wouldn't have to listen to his use of the f-bomb. If Shakespear worked street vernacular, he'd be Jimbo.
Hampton is the girl, and I don't mean to imply that he and Jimbo are gay, just that one is more dominate in the relationship. Hampton is less assertive, and yet the smarter of the pair. He lets Jimbo be in charge for fear of reprise (ie. fisticuffs) from his old pal, but the audience learns quickly that Jimbo is all bark and no bite.
Miller and Otteni are the magic that make UNEARTHEN work. They bring a deadpan sense of humor to the outlandish nature of the story that allows viewers to shake their heads in disbelief while churning that "what if" in the back of their minds. It's that active participation by the audience that lets UNEARTHEN move from parody to satirical social commentary revolving around the plight of two less-fortunates struggling to better themselves while God/nature/man/himself all work to bring them down.
The DVD for UNEARTHEN contains trailers, bloopers, and deleted scenes that make for an interesting presentation but don't add to the viewing experience. UNEARTHEN is movie that far outshines it's presentation rather than being complemented by it. That's a good thing. Trust me. You'll be as charmed by this movie as I was.
Official Unearthen Site
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