This film has excellent cinematography and acting as well it's just ironic that there's not any actual place that one could locate. I really enjoyed the narrative of Joe and his parents and the acting of Donna Davidson because she delivered her lines with such stoicism that it was definitely comedic. The hotel attendant was hilarious and an excellent actor with a professional level. I think they should remake this from or at least re edit it. This way it may have wider acclaim Nationwide
6 Reviews
Pretty Much Crap
mediumLarva7 October 2008
Couldn't watch the whole thing...bad acting...lame "humor"...unoriginal. I appreciate the effort though. It started very very slow and didn't seem to build with any engaging plot so I put it out of it's misery. I think I smiled a couple times at some of the attempts at clever writing but I thought it would be much funnier, given the concept. I was disappointed and can't really recommend it as a purchase or rental.
I suspect I will go back to it some day to see some of the DVD extras but, all in all, I regret buying it.
I'm a Wisconsin native and lived in the Chippewa Falls area for a while. Reality is a lot funnier there than this movie.
I suspect I will go back to it some day to see some of the DVD extras but, all in all, I regret buying it.
I'm a Wisconsin native and lived in the Chippewa Falls area for a while. Reality is a lot funnier there than this movie.
Clique Cinema
Eschete21 July 2011
I recently moved to the area of the country where this was filmed and, a few minutes into watching, felt like I understood exactly what I was seeing.
This film, I would bet, was written over the course of several years by members of a high school clique with a deep interest in films and film-making. Maybe one or two of them went to film school? One of their hobbies would have been making/editing short videos, mostly "mook" comedy in sketch form? Once Dogme 95 became an artistically acceptable reality, it became okay to make a movie on videotape and this movie became "possible." I'd bet the movie has been seen by many in the area where it was filmed (and not by many anywhere else).
The plot is difficult to follow, the acting amateurish and the cinematography non-existent. But, those who made the movie can say--and I have no doubt they do--that they made a movie. They started it and finished it. Not many can say that...
I don't know anyone involved in the making of this film, but it seems very familiar. There are lots of these "made by locals for locals" movies in the annals of film, and they all have that DIY feel that is almost impossible to overlook. "Terror in the Swamp/Nutria Man" was the movie made in my hometown by hometown boys, and it is about as bad as this one. If these "Legend of Boggy Creek" type movies teach us anything, it is that, as bad as Hollywood's movies are, they aren't as easy to make as we think. Because, when "we"--and by "we" I mean amateurs--try to make them, the results are often mediocre at best and laughable at worst.
If you aren't from Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley, 90% of this movie will fall flat for you. If you ARE from the Chippewa Valley, you'll probably be too distracted noticing that fact to notice what is going on.
Shot on video for pretty much no other reason than the filmmakers had no other choice.
GRADE: D for appearance and content, A for effort.
This film, I would bet, was written over the course of several years by members of a high school clique with a deep interest in films and film-making. Maybe one or two of them went to film school? One of their hobbies would have been making/editing short videos, mostly "mook" comedy in sketch form? Once Dogme 95 became an artistically acceptable reality, it became okay to make a movie on videotape and this movie became "possible." I'd bet the movie has been seen by many in the area where it was filmed (and not by many anywhere else).
The plot is difficult to follow, the acting amateurish and the cinematography non-existent. But, those who made the movie can say--and I have no doubt they do--that they made a movie. They started it and finished it. Not many can say that...
I don't know anyone involved in the making of this film, but it seems very familiar. There are lots of these "made by locals for locals" movies in the annals of film, and they all have that DIY feel that is almost impossible to overlook. "Terror in the Swamp/Nutria Man" was the movie made in my hometown by hometown boys, and it is about as bad as this one. If these "Legend of Boggy Creek" type movies teach us anything, it is that, as bad as Hollywood's movies are, they aren't as easy to make as we think. Because, when "we"--and by "we" I mean amateurs--try to make them, the results are often mediocre at best and laughable at worst.
If you aren't from Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley, 90% of this movie will fall flat for you. If you ARE from the Chippewa Valley, you'll probably be too distracted noticing that fact to notice what is going on.
Shot on video for pretty much no other reason than the filmmakers had no other choice.
GRADE: D for appearance and content, A for effort.
Go and see this movie!!!!!!
encriptkennedy22 August 2008
This movie was incredibly funny for me to watch since it was mostly filmed in the town of Chippewa Falls, WI (which is known in the movie as "Pure Water") where I grew up. I've always loved the town but the movie does a good job of exaggerating certain town qualities which make things quite a but more humorous. There are some amazing gags in this movie especially little things in the background that you have to watch for like funny signs and such. I don't want to give away any of the story lines but I will say that there are some gags that would almost border on perverted but they've managed to use them in tasteful ways - that whole concept just makes it funnier. I hope to see more films from this group in the future because I think they are off to a great start with this film.
Reviews, anyone?
ragnar-3727 August 2008
OK, the filmmakers friends and family have now given this movie 9 out of 10 stars. Could someone not connected to the film give a somewhat objective review? That would be nice. I'd like to support local film makers but it is tough when no one writes a review. I guess I could get on a plane and fly to Chippewa Falls and see the movie but that would be a bit much. I gave it a 10 out of 10 to keep in the spirit of things. It was the greatest film I've ever seen, though I've never seen it. Was there anyone in the theater that could write what they thought, someone not connected to its production? Well, I hope it was good as its always nice to see local talent get some credit for making a film.
Hometown Film without a Town!
craig0566 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
"Illegal Use of Joe Zopp" is an independent film with an excellent conceptual narrative which is the dilemma of a young man who left home and has been presumed to be deceased. This idea was produced very well. The sound track is great and is a mixture of pop, blue grass and rock n roll. The film is in brilliant color and shot on a nice sunny day either in the spring or summer, not fall though. Joe has parents that are portrayed as "parental challenged" to put it mildly. The film has plot twists, crazy characters fair to very good acting with a standout performance from the motel operator. I can pause any moment in this film and compare the shots to a fairly video taped film which means that the cinematography is semi professional. So the question of why this film hasn't been picked up by Mirimax or a major distribution corporation like the film "Clerks" has is obvious. I see the fatal flaw of this film being pseudonyms town names. Even the main character changes his name to pseudonym. The small city that the film takes place in is called "Pure water" in this film when it was actually shot in Chippewa Falls Wisconsin with some scenes shot in Eau Clare WI.. For example, every fan knows that "Clerks" takes place at the "Quick Stop/R.S.T. Video in Leonardo New Jersey and fans of the film can even make pilgrimages to visit the actual store where the creator (Kevin Smith) worked at. By using obscure names and distant states such as Ohio the fan connection is made extremely difficult. In short the writers sabotaged this film by alienating the fan by obliterating the actual location. Creating a road to success is made very difficult if one knows not where it is. Craig Barr.
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