Search - The Corndog Man on DVD

Unrolls slowly but is a funny, ultimately emotional ride

Miketheratguy | Wisconsin, USA | 03/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Let's not fight, I'm HAPPY today!!!"

Thus begins one of the harrassing phone messages delivered by a mystery caller to the manager of good 'ol boy boat lot "Triple K Marine".

Ace is a bigoted, confident southerner working hot days doing all he can to just sell more boats, just as any other salesman on hundreds of car lots across the country. He's shrewd, and crude as well, and confident in his ability to finagle anyone out of their cash.

Then one day, a mysterious problem develops. A goofily voiced caller starts to harrass Ace. Day after day. Often several times a day. His calls seem to be doing nothing more than agitating Ace, sending him into a torrent of curses or rude comments. Sometimes Ace just pleads with this guy to quit calling. But nothing works. This caller won't leave him alone, and Ace tries his damndest to try to live with it.

But soon the calls become personal. A certain phrase here, a familiar comment there. Ace starts to get paranoid because this caller seems to know him, and is apparently trying to provoke him, or get something out of him. But who, and what?

That is the core of this entire film. As I explained in my IMDB review, this movie was shunted upon me by my friend Pat, who has disappointed me with his movie choices on occasion. But this time, I quickly became engrossed in the story. What is at first an apparently endless series of pointless (though thoroughly amusing) prank calls eventually becomes a fascinating game of psychological torture.

Due to the amusing and interesting dialog, and the absolutely magnificent acting by all involved, I started to become anxious to see how this situation would end. I wanted to know who this caller was, and why he was doing this. By the end, I found out. And it was surprising. It went in a direction that was both emotional and unexpected, for reasons I wouldn't necessarily have guessed. The final shots are a bit ambiguous, but take nothing away from the impact that, at least to me, left a resonance of thought.

Altogether this was a movie that, although slow, was so well written and so well acted that it stands in a unique class of its own. Done with a seemingly minimal budget, but made with an obvious sheen of thought and intelligence, this is a movie worth reccommending to those who like psychology, cruel humor, or thought-provoking issues. If you can find the dvd, pick it up for more insight and a decent commentary- as well as the only time you ever fully see that mysterious caller."

"Did you get them britches I sent ya daddy?"

D. O'neil | 02/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great movie. Very funny. At 83 minutes it's over very quickly, but a fantastic find. If like your comedy dark and your endings unhappy, then this is the movie for you. Be warned though, Amazon said they had it in stock but it still took 3 weeks for me to get it, what gives?"

Them biscuits 'n gravy are BAD FER YER PUMPER!!!!

CrackerBarrel | Pensacola, Texas | 01/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ace Barker is a racist jerk. He is a self-centered redneck strangling in his own denial. He is also one of the most hilariously tragic figures I have ever encountered on DVD (or in the theater). Yeah,..I know,.."hilariously tragic" sounds like an oxymoron,...but,..well,..that's Ace Barker fer yah. You simultaneously (well at least I did) DELIGHT in his anguish AND sympathize with him as he slowly dissolves beneath the guilt-ridden baggage he's been dragging around for years. Prank-caller/"Un-aknowledged Son" Penrod torments him into submission BUT Ace doesn't go down easily. The result is a profanity-laced meltdown that will leave you both laughing hysterically and wanting to bludgeon Ace with a pool cue. SOMEHOW you'll feel a bit sympathetic for old Ace (his actions/responses are COMPLETELY unforgiveable but SURELY there must be SOME "good" hiding within his angry "cholesterol-ridden" thumper). Old habits die hard, however, and Ace eventually earns "his due". Bigotry and regret mixed with a healthy dose of introspection COMBINED with a chaser of prank phone calls = The Corndog Man. Noble Willingham (as Ace Barker) deserves an honorary Oscar/Emmy or AT LEAST a "gold plated corndog" for creating one of the most memorable characters I've ever witnessed on film/DVD. EXCELLENT STUFF (and a valuable lesson to be learned)!! pass the mustard,..TWO CORNDOGS UP!!!!!"

The perfect remedy for an awesomely itchy butt

J. Pieretti | Example: Rutger Haur Univ. | 09/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Aside from the overall awesomeness of this movie, it has a very high awesomeness factor. So on a scale of one to awesome, it's awesome. whew! Some of the really great things about this movie are when Penrod keeps calling his dad, and then those guys take away Ace's staff and maybe he gets pappy-slapped with a fish that was meant for the police. Those were citations of glimpsefull awesome."