There are many good things to say about this movie from the standpoint of of wanting to find clever ways of commenting on its premise and appreciating its professional cinematography. It is not a bad piece of work at all. So-called "black" humor has its place in modern cinema, as do ironic turns of plot that demonstrate the virtuosity of a film's creators.
That having been said, I found this effort a step or two short of reaching a successful or convincing end product. I have no quarrel with Jason Priestly as an actor; indeed, I think he has taken on some very challenging roles right up to the present day, and he can be very impressive as long as he plays them "straight." In this one, however, he is just a bit too tongue-in-cheek, too conscious perhaps of desiring to play with the audience. The role itself is also poorly written in that regard. There are unresolved ambiguities and even contradictions in the character of Cosmo, whether in terms of his basic intelligence or his innate morality. In order for this kind of thing to succeed, it has to be all of the same cloth, rather in the manner of the wildly fanciful Forrest Gump or some of Tarantino's odd characters. In Cosmo we are treated to an impression rather than a portrayal of the real thing.
In spite of all that, I recommend this for any adult viewer unencumbered by sentimental ideas of morality or not easily offended by graphic violence. Most of what happens is fairly predictable in any case, however, so it is easy to hit the mute button or go get a sandwich while the shooting is going on.
That having been said, I found this effort a step or two short of reaching a successful or convincing end product. I have no quarrel with Jason Priestly as an actor; indeed, I think he has taken on some very challenging roles right up to the present day, and he can be very impressive as long as he plays them "straight." In this one, however, he is just a bit too tongue-in-cheek, too conscious perhaps of desiring to play with the audience. The role itself is also poorly written in that regard. There are unresolved ambiguities and even contradictions in the character of Cosmo, whether in terms of his basic intelligence or his innate morality. In order for this kind of thing to succeed, it has to be all of the same cloth, rather in the manner of the wildly fanciful Forrest Gump or some of Tarantino's odd characters. In Cosmo we are treated to an impression rather than a portrayal of the real thing.
In spite of all that, I recommend this for any adult viewer unencumbered by sentimental ideas of morality or not easily offended by graphic violence. Most of what happens is fairly predictable in any case, however, so it is easy to hit the mute button or go get a sandwich while the shooting is going on.