The Darwin Awards (2006)

To investigate bizarre insurance claims that transpired in either accidents, death or both, a former cop and an insurance investigator travel throughout the country to look at the cases up close.

Director:

Finn Taylor

Writer:

Finn Taylor

Stars:

Joseph Fiennes, Winona Ryder, David Arquette

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Arquette	...	Harvey
Ty Burrell	...	Emile
Josh Charles	...	Paramedic
Kevin Dunn	...	Insurance Exec
Nora Dunn	...	Mrs. Pearlman
Joseph Fiennes	...	Michael Burrows
Judah Friedlander	...	Simon
Lukas Haas	...	Farley
Tom Hollander	...	Henry
Brad Hunt	...	Stan
Juliette Lewis	...	Joleen
Julianna Margulies	...	Carla
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Perp
Alessandro Nivola	...	Ad Exec
Chris Penn	...	Tom

Storyline

To investigate bizarre insurance claims that transpired in either accidents, death or both, a former cop and an insurance investigator travel throughout the country to look at the cases up close.

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Plot Keywords:

voice over narration | shower | sex | kitchen | flashback | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, violent images, some sexuality and drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 July 2006 (United Arab Emirates)

Also Known As:

Darvina Balva

Filming Locations:

Adelanto, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

3 Ring Circus Films,Blumhouse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is based on a real set of awards given to people who inadvertently "help" natural selection by acts of sheer stupidity that result in their removal from the gene pool, either by their death or any other act that makes them incapable of reproducing.

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Goofs

The length of the fuse on the dynamite continually gets longer and shorter while the dog is running around the ice with it.

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Quotes

Bob: [while drooling over a muscle truck in a showroom] What's its MPG?
Car Salesman: [sneering] Who gives a shit?

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Crazy Credits

The film was granted MPAA certificate #999999, which, technically, won't be awarded until decades later.

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Connections

References Cops (1989)

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Soundtracks

Sad but True
Written by Cliff Burton (as Clifford Lee Burton), James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
Performed by Metallica
Creeping Death Music c/o King, Purtich, Holmes, Paterno & Berliner

User Reviews

Pretty darn good, unless you're somehow expecting The Film Of The Century.

I watched this film "cold"--I had not heard of it before and was not expecting a comedy, per se; I truly had no expectations as someone else chose the film and I did not read the DVD cover at all, just jumped right in. That said, I thought it was fantastic. Those expecting a rip-roaring, sidesplitting gigglefest ought perhaps to have watched something intended to be so. This was funny at moments, disturbing at others, a little shallow in some places, but I sincerely doubt it was intended to be taken as deep philosophical delving despite the lead character's commentary. As for the chemistry between the leads, I agree with a previous reviewer's assessment: they were meant to irritate one another, and I thought the slow and gradual depth of the relationship was far more romantic than any of the stereotypical big-bang overnight transformations into meaningful interaction. Perhaps more people should watch films without having any clue what to expect of them. It keeps the viewer from making perhaps inappropriate demands that may or may not be met.