Reel Review Roundup

Pictures Of Superheroes

Directed by: Don Swaynos

Starring: Kerri Lendo, John Merriman, Shannon McCormick

Three and a half stars

Review by: Julian Wright

Quirky movies with characters that speak in monotone are not in short supply, particularly since runaway indie hit Napoleon Dynamite made them cool.  Now they seem to be as common in art-house cinemas as summer blockbusters are in the multiplexes. Bringing a much needed freshness to the sub genre, Pictures Of Superheroes follows the formula but creates a potent, dreamily off-kilter atmosphere that is enthralling.

Bringing a refreshing Mary Louise Parker slash Daria quality to her role, Kerri Lendo plays Marie, a down on her luck maid who is fired from her boring, mundane, bottom of the barrel job. As if that isn’t depressing enough, her boyfriend Phil (Byron Brown) mentions that he plans to dump her on their next date. Carting her suitcase of cleaning supplies down the street, she is approached by super busy businessman Eric (Shannon McCormick) and he hires her to clean his house, where his friend Joe (John Merriman) lives in the spare room – without him knowing about it. Things go from kooky to kookier as their relationships blossom.

While Lendo guns for the award for least facial muscle movements in a feature film, Zach Galifinakis lookalike McCormick vies for most likeable goofball – but their peculiar chemistry is winning. The cast dead pan their way through this wacky, snail paced but strangely charming slice of life for a handful of off the wall characters. Despite the familiarity, there is a one of a kind feeling to this film.

Pictures Of Superheroes screens as part of Revelation Perth International Film Festival on July 5, 6 and 11.

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