SXSW Review: Goliath

Scott Von Doviak — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:00:00 GMT

The Zellner Brothers have practiced their own brand of deadpan absurdity for more than a decade in Austin, TX, but with their third feature Goliath, writer-director David and producer-director Nathan are looking to expand their emotional palette. David Zellner stars as a man in a downward spiral; he’s in the midst of a messy divorce, he’s been demoted at his workplace, and now, worst of all, his beloved cat Goliath is missing.

His initial search proving fruitless (he tries to lure Goliath back with the sound of an electric can opener), he begins papering the neighborhood with fliers, at which point he learns that a sex offender has moved in just around the corner. Our increasingly unhinged hero comes to the dubious conclusion that this man, Chad P. Franklin (Nathan Zellner), is responsible for Goliath’s disappearance. A surprising and somewhat disturbing confrontation ensues.

A description of the plot does little to give a sense of what Goliath is all about. The Zellners tend to work in long takes, sometimes pushing the boundaries of an audience’s patience. There is one mind-bogglingly extended scene involving the divorce proceedings that has the potential to clear a theater, but that was fortunately not the case at the SXSW screening. Leave too soon and you’ll miss out on some trademark Zellner weirdness, like the sex offender’s unusual method of communication or a glimpse of the world’s most bizarre Internet porn site.

There is also something moving about the grieving pet owner’s plight, even amidst the strange stuff. If it is at times too leisurely paced, Goliath does pay off with a genuinely heartfelt resolution.

Sundance Roundup: Day 5

Scott Von Doviak — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:30:00 GMT

Nobody loves an overnight success story more than us, but it’s much more satisfying when filmmakers who have put in their time in the trenches finally get their moment in the spotlight. That’s particular true in the case of Austin’s David and Nathan Zellner, who have been plugging away for more than a decade since their feature debut, 1997’s indescribably zany Plastic Utopia. In a just universe, that tale of mimes and waffles would have made them the kings of indie comedy, but after the even more bizarre follow-up Frontier (shot entirely in the made-up Bulbovian language) failed to catch on, the brothers turned their attention to short films. Slowly they’ve built up a reputation, as each of the last three Sundance festivals has showcased one of their shorts (including last year’s Aftermath on Meadowlark Lane).

The payoff arrives tonight, as their new feature Goliath premieres in Park City. As David Zellner tells the Austin American-Statesman, “It's a whole other universe than being here with a short film, when you're sort of under the radar. We're learning as we're going this time.” Here’s the trailer, featuring Dazed and Confused alum Wiley Wiggins:

Elsewhere in Sundance land, the stars were out for U2 3D, which is not the story of R2-D2’s cousin, but a U2 concert film. The band and their pal Al Gore were in attendance, the Toronto Star confirms, and the rapturous reception suggest the movie may be a step up from the dismal Rattle and Hum – either that, or as Bono notes, "There's a lot of love and Irish whisky in the air.”

The Hollywood Reporter is disappointed to report that the big bidding wars have still failed to materialize. American Teen is garnering offers in the $2-3 million range, but it’s mostly the documentaries that are generating buzz so far.

The Screengrab : nathan zellner

SXSW Review: Goliath

Sundance Roundup: Day 5