As I was working through the entirety of Kevin Smith’s View Askew series last month, I stumbled across a film I hadn’t noticed the other three or so times I did that in the last year. It was black-and-white, grainy, obviously very low budget and, in fact, one of the best films I saw that year.
While not directly part of Smith’s View Askewniverse (the fictional universe in which such Smith films as ‘Clerks’, ‘Mallrats’ and ‘Chasing Amy’ take place), ‘Drawing Flies’ is produced by Smith’s View Askew production company, and seems at times to align with the View Askewniverse. The film stars Jason Lee, the incomparable skateboarder-turned-actor who also appeared in other Smith films such as ‘Mallrats’ and ‘Dogma’, but is arguably best recognised as Dave from ‘Alvin and The Chipmunks’.
Lee plays Donner, an unemployed slacker who leads his four housemates into the wilderness in search of Bigfoot. When the group get their welfare payments cut, they ditch town in a beat-up van to explore the woods where Donner informs them his uncle has a cabin they can stay at. The trip starts off well, but in short course, the van breaks down, the group get lost, and Donner, beginning to lose his mind, informs them of the real purpose of their adventure – they, or he, at least, are hunting a Sasquatch. Convinced Donner will fail, and alarmed by the increasingly strange goings-on they encounter in the woods, the rest of the group eventually leave until only Donner is left, delirious but all the more convinced his mission will succeed.
I won’t spoil the ending by telling you if he does find Bigfoot, but I will say that it shouldn’t even matter – the film is outstanding. Although the video quality does take some getting used to, it’s worth it for the unending laughs this film delivers. It exemplifies the very best of both absurdist and stoner comedy, from giant babies and serious discussions about the role Scooby-Doo plays in the 90s, to hilarious one-liners with some of the best delivery I’ve ever heard (as an example, take literally anything Joey Lauren Adams says in the film).
All the actors are convincing in their roles, even those whose only appearances in the films may be in brief, ten-second-long scenes. As well as Jason Lee, bringing wit and excitement to a somewhat more dramatic role than those he’s largely known for, the film also features Jason Mewes (Jay from ‘Clerks’) as Donner’s housemate Az. Mewes is a riot, switching in the blink of an eye between personas – a sensitive and compassionate environmentalist when he talks to women, say, becomes an abrasive and hostile layabout when engaging with his housemates, to stunning comedic effect. Renee Humphrey, Martin Brooks, and Carmen Lee (the other housemates) all bring something fresh to the film, each character’s personality clashing with the others in a uniquely entertaining but chaotic way.
The characters are authentic and highly watchable, so much so that even Bigfoot hunting almost seems a desirable activity by the time you reach the end of the film. While I’m obviously not encouraging you to actually do this, I do think it’s a testament to the film that it can have such an effect, intriguing viewers even as they’re bent double laughing. And of course, its soundtrack of underground 90s bands with names like ‘Bugskull’ and ‘Knockdown Ginger’ can’t be underappreciated – where else are you going to find a band called ‘Good Horsey’, if not in this film?
So do yourself a favour, and watch ‘Drawing Flies’ this month. It’s hilarious without being overly light-hearted, and witty without being try-hard, as well as just plain weird in the best way possible. In other words, it’s everything you need to get 2025 started on the right note, and hey, if nothing else – Silent Bob!
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