Random Acts of Violence

Random Acts of Violence is a highly experimental low budget pseudo-documentary satire that I've picked up for three bucks some time ago. The story revolves a young adult of British origin living in New York City who is getting tired of gentrification. In order to introduce some changes in this boring city, he randomly start killing people while being filmed by some associates. His sinister actions soon start to interfere with his personal social life. However, the rest of society, politicians and even the police don't seem to care. The young adult tries to go one step further as he decides to assassinate a candidate running for mayor to finally get some attention.

The story itself is already quite unusual but there are many more things that will get your attention. The movie is an experimental low budget effort with almost no special efforts that gives it the vibe of a self-made documentary. The lead character, while being a complete lunatic, is quite charismatic and played quite uniquely by lead actor Ashley Cahill who is fairly unknown and deserves more attention. The quirky locations show the diversity of New York City in a unique way as they explore trendy bars, new restaurants and elegant apartments. The movie's ending comes around with an absurd but fitting twist that makes you laugh and think at the same time. This is certainly a movie you won't forget anytime soon.

Obviously, this type of movie is an acquired taste. The story is rather shallow. The movie portrays brutal violence in random ways that make it look like ordinary events. Even though pretentious reviewers seem to see a profound meaning behind the movie, there actually isn't one. This film feels like an experimental art house project by some nonconformist film school students.

In the end, Random Acts of Violence is unlike any other film you have ever seen and will ever watch. It's experimental at all costs. Some people are going to hate it with passion, others are going to adore its unconventional style without any compromises and then there are going to be people like me who are situated somewhere in between. This film is like a guilty pleasure because I like it despite its gruesome random violence. I would however only recommend this movie to people who like experimental movies and aren't afraid to push their boundaries.

I was told about this movie from a friend who didn't even make it through the credit sequence. And at first I was siding with them. Right off the bat you are introduced to an unlikable main character living a hypocritical lifestyle in NYC. He speaks about the dangers of gentrification from his upscale apartment with his hipster friends. While only living in New York for 16 years from London, he lusts for the iconic gritty, crime ridden heart of the city.

For a movie buff, the later parts of the film begin to appear as a polar opposite of Taxi Driver. Travis Bickle went vigilante, while Malcolm goes rogue. One sees the filth and crime of the city and wants to eradicate it, while the other wishes to instigate a pseudo-intellectual 'revolution' of crime.

The style is, in my mind, a sour attempt at mockumentary. There are plenty of good uses of the shaky camera work, but there are also lots of bad examples. For the most part the message works out, 'extremely low budget' sums it up well, and overall while the main character is not a guy I would share a beer with it is an interesting look into the mind of a clearly bored psychopath with lofty ideals.

British Malcolm (Ashley Cahill) has been in New York City for 15 years and is tired of the gentrification of "his" city. He wants things to go back to the better times like when NYC had edge in the 1970s. His plan is simple: Kill as many people (mostly annoying hipsters) as he can and document his manifesto with a camera crew following him around. This acerbic pitch black comedy was edited, written, produced, and directed by leading man Cahill and had me from the opening. He obviously has seen Man Bites Dog (1992), but gives the "documentary crew follows a killer" scenario its own life with his unique Malcolm character, the hipster who hates hipsters but lives in awe of French New Wave and Clint Eastwood films (don't text while watching a movie with Malcolm). Some of the lines killed me, like when Malcolm regrets killing the project's director and says, "I think I made a mistake kill Bob that way. I should have waited. I have no idea how to edit Final Cut Pro." Or when he tells someone a Mayoral candidate has just been assassinated and they say, "I know, someone tweeted about it 15 minutes ago. Who cares?"

This movie was taken to a whole new level. Ashley Cahill might have been the writer/director but he was an amazing lead. I normally wouldn't want to watch these type of serial killer tries to get all of his crimes on tape type of movies, but this one was exceptional! 

The supporting actors were great, they were funny, surprisingly could act, and at some times had their own type of crimes that they had to commit. 

This movie had a copacetic story structure and kept me interested throughout the entire film. It's not a horror film so there's nothing to be afraid of, it's just a funny, psycho wants peace thriller. Well done Cahill. 

I strongly recommend watching on Netflix if bored or just want a little laugh.

I made it about 20 minutes into the movie and could have saved a lot of time as the next 19 minutes were essentially the same thing as the first minute. I've enjoyed many low budget movies, my problem with this movie is the total lack of anything. It's not funny, it's not exciting, there is no discernible plot. This was one of those rare movies that preaches at you but has nothing to say. The preaching is annoying enough but the babbling on about not even good platitudes was excruciating. I've managed in less than a minute to make a more meaningful social statement than the entire first 20 minutes of this movie did.