God Bless America (2011)

On a mission to rid society of its most repellent citizens, terminally ill Frank makes an unlikely accomplice in 16-year-old Roxy.

Director:

Bobcat Goldthwait

Writer:

Bobcat Goldthwait

Stars:

Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr, Mackenzie Brooke Smith

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joel Murray	...	Frank
Tara Lynne Barr	...	Roxy
Melinda Page Hamilton	...	Alison
Mackenzie Brooke Smith	...	Ava
Rich McDonald	...	Brad
Maddie Hasson	...	Chloe
Larry Miller	...	Chloe's Dad
Dorie Barton	...	Chloe's Mom
Travis Wester	...	Ed
Lauren Benz Phillips	...	Donna (as Lauren Phillips)
Guerrin Gardner	...	Tampon-Throwing Tuff Gurl
Kellie Ramdhanie	...	Melissa Tuff Gurl (as Kellie Marie Ramdhanie)
Aris Alvarado	...	Steven Clark
Romeo Brown	...	John Tyler
Sandra Vergara	...	American Superstarz Judge

Storyline

Loveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. He finds an unusual accomplice: 16-year-old Roxy, who shares his sense of rage and disenfranchisement.

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Plot Keywords:

blackberry cell phone | brat | long feminine hair cut | knife in stomach | anti materialism | 

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Taglines:

Taking out the trash, one jerk at a time.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language including some sexual sequences

Did You Know?

Trivia

Frank's personal handgun is a military grade Colt .45 M1911.

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Goofs

In the opening scene where Frank breaks into the neighbor's apartment to kill them, when he shoots the boyfriend and reloads the shotgun, it's a right side ejection port. When he reloads to shoot the baby, the image is reversed and it's a left side ejection port.

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Quotes

Alison: [on phone with Frank] Brad and I are getting married.
Frank: Well, tell Brad, uh... when he's down there to smell my balls, alright?
Alison: [to Brad] Frank says hi.

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Crazy Credits

The character that tries to buy Roxy at the diner is listed as "The Pancake Eating Pedophile".

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Connections

Spoofs It Happened One Night (1934)

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Soundtracks

Missing Mountains
Written by Matthew Kemp
Performed by 'Lost River/Old River'

User Reviews

The film is sort of like the movie 'SUPER' except darker, or you could say it's like 'NATURAL BORN KILLERS' except lighter, or 'BONNIE AND CLYDE'.

'GOD BLESS America': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A dark and very violent political satire (as well as social commentary) written and directed by actor/comedian turned filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait. The story revolves around an insurance salesman who's recently been fired from his job and discovered he's terminally ill who decides to go on a killing spree to rid the world of it's most morally deprived citizens, before he exits it as well. He teams up with a 16-year-old girl who shares his anger. The movie is a little hard to watch given the subject matter and has a somewhat nihilistic feel to it but the political commentary is spot on and the filmmaking is equally topnotch.

Joel Murray stars as Frank, an insurance salesman who's fired from his job for sending flowers to a co-worker (as well as using company records to look up her address), which she deemed as sexual harassment. He later finds out the migraines he's been suffering are the effect of a terminal brain tumor, which his doctor says is inoperable. He has a daughter who despises him and is spoiled rotten by his ex-wife (Melinda Page Hamilton). All this combined with his increasingly negative views on America and the rude hateful citizens which inhabit it cause him to go on a killing spree. He finds unlikely assistance in the form of a 16-year-old girl named Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr), who's equally upset with society.

The film is sort of like the movie 'SUPER' (from last year) except darker, or you could say it's like 'NATURAL BORN KILLERS' except lighter, or 'BONNIE AND CLYDE' (which it references several times). It mocks 'AMERICAN IDOL', reality TV, conservative talk shows and other pop culture filth. It's commentary is intelligent and right on (although perhaps a bit too harsh at times). The fact that the lead characters are so insightful and well intentioned is the movie's biggest flaw though. How can such likable and otherwise seemingly well balanced people resort to such idiotic and pointless violence. It's like a horror movie where the heroes are the serial killers, which is extremely hard to take as a viewer. It leaves you torn about exactly what the film is trying to say. Which I think is it's biggest strength. A movie that makes you think that much and makes you that uncomfortable deserves credit. Goldthwait makes a very impressive writer and decent director as well! This movie is definitely not for everyone and extremely hard to watch for most but it does have some great social and political commentary and does what a movie meant to disturb should.

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 May 2012 (Russia)

Also Known As:

God Bless America

Filming Locations:

The Fonda Theater - 6126 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$27,308, 13 May 2012

Gross USA:

$122,550

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$393,880

Company Credits

Production Co:

Darko Entertainment, Jerkschool Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1