Review: Swiss Army Man (2016)

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Firstly, do not let the above picture deceive you, this film is 100% a comedy, and it's likely one of the most absurd ones you will ever watch. The film stars Paul Dano, a very talented actor who's penchant for odd roles is whole-heartedly utilized here. Opposite Dano is Daniel Radcliffe who seems to be taking the furthest role possible from his recent, and famous stint as Harry Potter. Here, however, he is not The Boy Who Lived, but more aptly, The Farting Boy Who Died.

You see, the film is about Hank (Dano), a seeming castaway who is on the brink of suicide. All that saves him is a corpse that he finds that has washed ashore (Radcliffe). The corpse is very much a corpse, except it has the unique quality of... being able to fart... constantly. Yes, you read that right... Throughout the film, Dano finds that the corpse (whom he names Manny) may also have some other equally-absurd talents that may just help him survive in the wilderness, hence the title. Oh, as well, with the help of his new deceased company, Hank goes on a rather emotional journey coming to terms with the real-life hardships that caused him to leave society in the first place.

I will not talk about what transpires in the film too much in order to save some of the many fun surprises, but suffice it to say that the two leads really are the entirety of this film. Yes, Radcliffe really does simply play a corpse but he does so remarkably and entertainingly well and much of the great comedy is centred upon him. Dano, as always, is a real star here bringing high comedy and real drama to his role (which makes sense as he is the only living character). The two also have palpable chemistry making this one of the more fun films you will watch in a while. The only real negative I would say about this film is regarding its ending, which I am not entirely a fan of. I will not say more than that and leave it up to you to form your own opinion on. On paper, this film is quite similar to Cast Away, just replacing Wilson, the volleyball, with Manny the farting corpse. Swiss Army Man has a tangible and hilarious momentum to it, backed by a great soundtrack. The plot may turn some people away from it, but, really, I recommend it to anyone who wants to feels like watching a quirky, wholly unique comedy that is very much outside-the-box and founded upon two great performances by Dano and Radcliffe.