This is an interesting mixture for a flick; a few funny scenes, mostly subtle humor, throw in some action, odd theme-based characters , and enough intriguing content that you can think about it for a while. Not the typical vapid thrill.
A major theme of the movie is explained early on when the professor reviews the concepts of the Id, Superego, and Ego while he drives with the nympho. The description sets up the main conflict of the movie, between the Id and the Superego, which ends up affecting the Ego. There is also a subtext regarding religion and a conflict between Ego and religion. The death of the cult figurehead results in the the Id being satisfied. And the salvation of the world.
The professor (Superego) is the epitome of anal retentive, cleaning even as his wife tells him she is leaving him. Even just after that, leaving tape messages for himself, he doesn't mention that she has left, he just jabbers on about bizarre dreams. The scene where he gets reamed by the lesbian hit-woman using her gun is funny in how he instantly loves it.
Daphne (Ego) is a chain-smoking nervous wreck, even as she makes a bold move, bashing a couple of guys from the church and kidnapping their cult goddess. She's constantly going back and forth between action on an ill-conceived plan and trying to make everything OK.
The nympho (Id) is pure fun; whatever pleasures her at the moment. But by the end of her interaction with the professor, she is frustrated, which isn't surprising.
Tom, a mental case, is purely innocent. He starts off pretty much totally whacked out and dependent on his medications, which have run out. As the movie progresses he has moments of increasing lucidity and in the end drives off towards his dream with the hot chick happily coming along for the ride. His improved mental state with increasing time off medication just occurred to me, but fits with other themes in the movie.
Lacey Chabert playing the nympho is fun to watch in this part, but maybe that's just pandering to my inner id.
There are some lingering questions, such as how a figure as pathetic as the professor was able to get a beautiful wife and house to begin with, or how he has a wife leave him and never mentions it. How Daphne can brutally pound a couple of guys in the head with a baseball bat and not feel a bit of remorse or second guessing. How Tom, who is clueless and confused suddenly gets his head together and leaves with the girl, which is a great ending, but a bit surprising that he can drive. Or how the professional hit-woman is such a terrible shot at the end. The lesbian hit-woman is completely superfluous, but hey, why not.
All in all, it's fun to watch, if a bit slow in parts, particularly dealing with the professor's character development. I loved the anti-religious undertones, which are subtle and humorous, pointing out the controlling, and often two-faced and hypocritical nature of it.
A major theme of the movie is explained early on when the professor reviews the concepts of the Id, Superego, and Ego while he drives with the nympho. The description sets up the main conflict of the movie, between the Id and the Superego, which ends up affecting the Ego. There is also a subtext regarding religion and a conflict between Ego and religion. The death of the cult figurehead results in the the Id being satisfied. And the salvation of the world.
The professor (Superego) is the epitome of anal retentive, cleaning even as his wife tells him she is leaving him. Even just after that, leaving tape messages for himself, he doesn't mention that she has left, he just jabbers on about bizarre dreams. The scene where he gets reamed by the lesbian hit-woman using her gun is funny in how he instantly loves it.
Daphne (Ego) is a chain-smoking nervous wreck, even as she makes a bold move, bashing a couple of guys from the church and kidnapping their cult goddess. She's constantly going back and forth between action on an ill-conceived plan and trying to make everything OK.
The nympho (Id) is pure fun; whatever pleasures her at the moment. But by the end of her interaction with the professor, she is frustrated, which isn't surprising.
Tom, a mental case, is purely innocent. He starts off pretty much totally whacked out and dependent on his medications, which have run out. As the movie progresses he has moments of increasing lucidity and in the end drives off towards his dream with the hot chick happily coming along for the ride. His improved mental state with increasing time off medication just occurred to me, but fits with other themes in the movie.
Lacey Chabert playing the nympho is fun to watch in this part, but maybe that's just pandering to my inner id.
There are some lingering questions, such as how a figure as pathetic as the professor was able to get a beautiful wife and house to begin with, or how he has a wife leave him and never mentions it. How Daphne can brutally pound a couple of guys in the head with a baseball bat and not feel a bit of remorse or second guessing. How Tom, who is clueless and confused suddenly gets his head together and leaves with the girl, which is a great ending, but a bit surprising that he can drive. Or how the professional hit-woman is such a terrible shot at the end. The lesbian hit-woman is completely superfluous, but hey, why not.
All in all, it's fun to watch, if a bit slow in parts, particularly dealing with the professor's character development. I loved the anti-religious undertones, which are subtle and humorous, pointing out the controlling, and often two-faced and hypocritical nature of it.