The Darwin Awards (2006)

I liked this movie.

This is a good movie to watch, I reccommend renting it-or buying it. It's incredable to see the unbelievable ways people have died, doing some really stupid things. If you've never heard of the "Darwin Awards" before, google it. it's very interesting. I like this this movie, I give 2 thumbs up. April 28, 2008

Why do I like this movie?

Goofy. Tragic. But why am I laughing? Joseph Fiennes is a Sherlock/ genius in his own world that can't fit into ours. He can't handle the sight of blood, afraid of women, guilty over a botched police collar of a serial killer, and fastidious about safety. Winona Ryder is his foible picking Watson. Two depressed misfits on a journey trying to solve stupid and often fatal insurance claims.

If you like dark, quirky comedies, e.g., The Big Lebowski, or if you like road trip movies, you'll like this. The leads work wonderfully together. Both Ryder and Fiennes need more comedy and less drama in their lives, and they're good at it. The 'cases' are hilarious, but I really enjoyed the 'Odd Couple' leads duking it out as their personalities grate on each other in a tortured, sex-tensed, romantic sort of way.

The other story involving the search for a serial killer is put in there to promote the big climax, and the Peeping-Tom, worthless, documentary student is silly but provides humorous asides.
It's a night of escapism at other people's, who are not at our level of evolutionary development, expense. February 27, 2008

Surprisingly funny

Although the pseudodocumentary angle seemed a little superfluous, overall I really enjoyed this movie. It was a lot funnier than I expected, with plenty of slapstick comedy, but most of it was anchored with more intelligent humor behind it. Which is a little ironic when you consider what The Darwin Awards are actually about. There's a cursory love story as well, which manages to feel kind of natural, not outrageously forced. Overall, I liked it. January 26, 2008

Funny movie for a good night home

The Darwin Awards is the best movie for a surprise funny feature to watch at home. Joseph Fiennes is in a whole new category here. He is a compulsive researcher for deaths that occur and why the deaths happen. It's' fun to see Winona Ryder again too!
The jokes are brash and sometimes very black but funny.
If you like features that are unfamiliar but have something to them. Darwin Awards is for you. Also if you ever had a dream to go fast, this is a must see.
December 21, 2007

Amusing Stories Connected in the Wrong Way

As you know, the film's title "The Darwin Awards" refers to the "awards" that really exist, for the people who died in the most bizarre (and you may say, stupid) way. I believe some, or many of the reported cases on this website should actually belong to urban legend genre, but anyway, though some may find them offensive, to me these episodes are not only silly but also amusing often in a very dark way.

The problem of the film inspired by the actual Darwin Awards is this: How can we tell a story that is as amusing as these source materials? The film, "The Darwin Awards," tries hard to solve it by using two familiar narrative strategies: one is the road movie format where the film's hero and disgraced SFPD profiler Michael Burrows (Joseph Fiennes) travels across the country with a surly insurance investigator Siri (Winona Ryder). The other is the pseudo-documentary narrative, an interviewer who mostly stays behind the camera, following the two leads and occasionally interrupting them. Plus, the film has to tell us a sub-plot about a killer

However, despite the capable leads and funny cameos including late Chris Penn, the weak romance and underdeveloped characters (especially Ryder's) need more improvement. Fake documentary idea is simply unnecessary and even annoying. The latter idea does not make much sense after all as what most people want to see is "The Darwin Awards" and why some people are often driven to behave in a very ridiculous way.

While watching this, I thought there must be a terrific film buried deep under the confusing script. At least the film's "award" part and how these people "win" are amusing even though you have heard about them, but the film is a little disappointing, considering the cast and the source material.
December 20, 2007

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