Something I knew right away when I attended the premiere of Macon Blair’s road trip comedy, The Shitheads, was that it would never be released under that title. Unfortunately, I was right, because the new title, Idiots, is pretty forgettable. On the plus side, the film has a cast led by O’Shea Jackson Jr., Dave Franco, and Mason Thames, with the promise of stoner hijinks, that should more than compensate.
Blair is the director behind The Toxic Avenger and I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore, films that are edgy, offbeat, and off the beaten path. He wrote and directed Idiots, about two screwups who get more than they bargained for while trying to escort a wealthy influencer to rehab. Also in the cast are Kiernan Shipka, Peter Dinklage, and Nicholas Braun.
In my review, I noted that Blair seemed to have one idea for what he wanted for the film, but ended up making something else. While there’s plenty of screwball chaos and gross-out gags, it too often asks us to take these characters seriously and that seriously undercuts the attempts at humor. That said, I have a good feeling that this film will find an audience.
Idiots opens in theaters on August 28th.
