A company course on ruthless commercialism camouflaged as a slacker funny: Thats the kindest method to describe Michael Lehmanns Flakes, a film that shares the smug, hipper-than-thou perceptiveness of its sour protagonist, Neal Downs (Aaron Stanford).
An ambitious rock artist who manages a New Orleans restaurant where the only costs of fare is breakfast cereal, Neal is a reflexively sarcastic deadbeat whose equally sour girlfriend, Pussy Katz (Zooey Deschanel), shares his bohemian imagine taking a trip the nation in an Airstream trailer, making music and art.
The walls of the restaurant, called Flakes, are lined with cereal boxes, consisting of uncommon discontinued brand names. As clients slop up exotic mixes, the motion picture suggests a deadpan satire of premium fetishism. One home specialty chocolate-flavored grains soaked in chocolate milk sounds especially nauseating.
Owned by Willie (Christopher Lloyd), a shabby hippie https://connerjmua128.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/the-ultimate-guide-to-quine/ geezer with mad-scientist hair, Flakes hops along as a hangout for deadbeats till a bright-eyed nouveau riche visitor, Stuart (Keir ODonnell), proposes turning it into a financially rewarding franchise. When Willie and Neal express no interest, Stuart establishes a rival Flakes throughout the street, and the New Orleans cereal wars start.
Hoping to put Stuart out of company, Neal starts playing filthy techniques, the nastiest of which is the circulation of fliers to the homeless appealing 10 free bowls per customer at his competitors establishment. The trick triggers a near-riot that Stuart skillfully turns to his benefit.
Neals new live-in relationship with Pussy begins to curdle when she turns traitor and goes to work for the competition, hoping that the death of the initial Flakes will leave Neal with time to complete his CD. If the name of atrioventricular bundle, Cereal Killers, is perfectly selected, its music is a joke.
Once legal representatives become associated with the disagreement, the films anti-establishment mindset evaporates, as does the teeny bit of levity Flakes has actually created.
FLAKES
Opens on Wednesday in Manhattan; also on Video on Demand.
Directed by Michael Lehmann; written by Chris Poche and Karey Kirkpatrick; director of photography, Nancy Schreiber; edited by Nicholas C. Smith; music by Jason Derlatka and Jon Ehrlich; produced by Gary Winick and Jake Abraham; released by IFC First Take. At the IFC Center, 323 Avenue of the Americas, at Third Street, Greenwich Village. Running time: 1 hour 24 minutes. This movie is not rated.
WITH: Aaron Stanford (Neal Downs), Zooey Deschanel (Miss Pussy Katz), Christopher Lloyd (Willie), Frank Wood (Bruce), Ryan Donowho (Skinny Larry), Izabella Miko (Strawberry) and Keir ODonnell (Stuart).