Charming Billy (1998)

A haunting portrait of the quiet, desperate angst tht lurks beneath a deceptively smooth surface, Charmimg Billy tells the story of Billy Starkman, a seemingly ordinary man who wakes up one day, clinbs a water tower, and opens fire on the world below. Threading the terribly tragic with the frighteningly mundane, the film weaves an intense emotional tapestry evoking what might make someone commit the unimaginable.

And I thought I was having a bad day.

Charming Billy deals with a man who's life is quickly spiraling out of control. His problems look like our own...

* he is married to a woman he does not love
* she is pregnant with a child he does not want
* his mother will not let him grow up
* his father is ashamed of his lack of ambition
* he works at a job he loathes

While this looks like nothing more than another day at the office for many of us, it's enough to make ole Billy-boy pull the proverbial snap-o, climb his town's water tower, and proceed to gun down the local townsfolk - never stopping once to take off his work tie, mind you. I'll have to admit, there's been times I've wanted to do the same, especially after the local high school referendum passed, raising my towns taxes to an almost inhumane level (those predatory, snarling little political bastar....). I'm kidding, people. Put the 911 phones down.

This film is shot (no pun intended) in a way that is heavy-laden with flashbacks and reasons as to why Billy has gone bizerko. It's an extremely dark film, and has almost no cinematic positives other than for those who just enjoy independent films, but the story is strong (guys- shooting-at-random-people films usually have rather strong stories) and the premise is heavy and engulfing, offering a take on the despair that goes along with the reasons that anyone would ever consider doing such a deed.

In other words, if you want a film that snuffs the light out of your soul, Charming Billy is a perfect place to start. May 30, 2008

Delightfully disturbing

It is a twisted film, independent of course. After listening to director, producer commentary, it is intentional that you are not told "why" Billy did it, other than he had trouble connecting with people. Everyone except Grandpa who later can't connect with anyone but Billy in a strange twist of fate. If you want to see it more artistically, when Billy ends it all, we do not see his literally "fall" from the water tower, as we are not told his figurative "fall" from reality/sanity. I think the scariest part of the movie is just giving a voice to that crazy person up on the water tower, how sane he might really be. September 23, 2007

CAN SHE BAKE A CHERRY PIE?

CHARMING BILLY is certainly a dark movie, but then again it's story is dark. We meet a handsome young man named Billy Starkman, who as we know from the start is going to end up on a water tower shooting innocent people. The why is etched out in scenarios showing the probable cause for Billy's breakdown. Early in his life, he seriously felt he scared a neighborly laundry lady to death; his father told him about his own suicide thoughts. As a man, he is faced with working two nowhere jobs in order to support his wife, who tells him she is pregnant. His parents are distant, self-centered people; only his grandfather brings Billy any sense of joy. The problem with the film is that even though we can understand and sympathize with Billy's plight, there's never a moment when we see anything so devastating that would make him crack (aside from a strange scene at the family's Easter dinner where we see Billy continuously banging his head on the table while the rest of the family blabbers on around him). Sure, Billy has problems but what is it about him that makes him take such a desperate act to rectify them? The script doesn't point us in that direction at all. Michael Hayden as Billy does a wonderful job in his role, parlaying his natural charm and descending madness into a tour de force performance. This independent film may have had more impact had we been shown a clearer path to Billy's fall. February 26, 2005

Excellent Independent Film

This independent, art-house film saw limited release in 1999-2000, but is not to be missed. It contains a powerful mix of tension, pathos, and social despair, as the lead character, Billy - a good person with too much stress from too many everyday problems, slowly succumbs to the difficulties of life. While not an easy film to watch, which is certainly why it missed the big theatres, it is an excellent film that achieves all it strives for, and is recommended to all fans of the independent genre. August 5, 2001

Emotionally driven, with a heart stopping reality punch

This movie is excellent. It shows a true to life portrayal of what can happen to a man that is pushed to the edge. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys independent films and that wishes to see a film that doesn't hold anything back when it comes to showing a how the stress of life can push a man to commit the unthinkable. May 8, 2001

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