Certain film represent achievement for the simple fact of being made. That doesn’t mean that they are supposed to be good. Such dubious honour belongs to Alan Rudolph, writer and director of Breakfast of Champions, 1999 black comedy.
The film is based on famous 1973 novel by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. which many literary critics and scholars thought of as unfilmable, mainly due to author’s unconventional style and narrative techniques. Plot is set in Midland City, small town in Indiana and the protagonist is Dwayne Hoover (played by Bruce Willis), used car salesman who gained wealth and represents one of the pillars of local community. Recently he found himself in the middle of existential crisis and often considers suicide, something which is unnoticed by his pill-popping wife Celia (played by Barbara Hershey) and effeminate son Bunny (played by Lukas Haas). Things get worse even at work because his loyal assisstant Harry Le Sabre (played by Nick Nolte) recently becomes worried that Dwayne might find about his love for wearing women’s clothes. Dwayne finds little comfort in his secretary and lover Francine Petko (played by Glenne Headley). While Dwayne’s world begins to fall apart because of raging madness, Midland City is visited by unusual guest – Kilgore Trout (played by Albert Finney), relatively unknown and insane writer of science fiction novels who received mysterious invitation for local arts festival. When those two men meet, consequences will be disastrous.
Alan Rudolph has built his reputation on films featuring unusual plots and characters, so his adaptation of Vonnegut’s novel wasn’t looking like a particularly bad idea. Rudolph, like in so many of his films, uses plenty quirky characters and the unusual style is enhanced with the use of animation. Unfortunately for viewers, all that quirkiness soon becomes quite tiresome. It takes roughly an hour of running time before it becomes obvious that nothing happens in the film. When plot accelerates in second half, the result is disappointing. Even some viewers accustomed to unconventional films with high art pretensions would have problems digesting this film. Disappointment is even greater because Rudolph has gathered rather respectable cast with many actors putting valiant effort on screen. This includes Bruce Willis who tries very hard to discard his tough action hero image by playing pathetic wreck, while Nick Nolte excels playing character burdened with deep sexual repression. Albert Finney, on the other hand, doesn’t add anything particular new in the role of grungy old alcoholic. Soon after premiere at Berlin Film Festival, Breakfast of Champions was mercilessly panned by critics and many of those who watch this film now are likely to agree with that verdict.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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