I don't argue that deer camp, the U.P., a cursed hunter and regional dialects sound like the makings of a funny movie. I will argue that it didn't happen here. It's easy to understand why Escanaba in Da Moonlight was a successful play, especially in Michigan. Its premise is way over the top and its staging let the audience use a little imagination in some of the more surreal scenes. On film, it's not really funny to see a man with his face in another man's ass waiting for him to fart, and the movie's hammy acting doesn't make characters, it makes caricatures. And what the hell is the UFO tie in? If it was supposed to be magical or mystical, it came off as absurd and stupid. For cryin' out loud, these people are interesting (and funny) enough, why bash me over the head with outrageousness without purpose? For anyone who thought this was funny, I suggest checking out Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know radio show. His interview with a northern Wisconsin Sturgeon fisherman and his wife was infinitely funnier than anything in Escanaba in Da Moonlight. It was real, it was funny and no one got farted on. I would be surprised if Escanaba gets national distribution, which may be for the best because then professional critics won't have a chance to skewer it and embarrass Jeff Daniels who deserves an A for effort, but a an F for execution.
Review of Escanaba in da Moonlight
