Butt Boy
| Butt Boy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Tyler Cornack |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by |
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| Cinematography | Billy Morean |
| Edited by | Austin Lewis |
| Music by | Feathers |
Production company | Epic Pictures |
Release date | April 14, 2020 |
| Country | The United States |
| Language | English |
Butt Boy is a 2020 American comedy drama written and directed by Tyler Cornack in his directorial debut. The film is a spinoff from a Tiny Cinema comedy sketch.
Plot
Chip Gutchell, an IT specialist and recovering alcoholic, develops a compulsive behavior after a routine rectal exam, where anything he inserts into his anus mysteriously disappears. His obsession escalates, leading to the disappearance of small objects, pets, and eventually people. Detective Russel Fox becomes suspicious of Chip's involvement and investigates the mysterious disappearances, while Chip struggles to keep his secret hidden. The tension builds as the detective gets closer to the truth, culminating in a climactic confrontation that reveals the extent of Chip's compulsion.
Cast
- Tyler Cornack as Chip
- Tyler Rice as Russell
- Shelby Dash as Chip's wife Anne
- Nino Hara
- Austin Lewis
- Brad Potts
- Wilky Lau
- Kai Henderson[1]
Release
Butt Boy was screened at a number of genre festivals in 2019, where it was a "minor sensation".[2] The film debuted on various VOD platforms on April 14, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the limited theatrical release scheduled earlier that month was canceled.[1]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 71% based on 59 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Its puerile premise invites low expectations, but viewers who sit down in search of boldly humorous provocations won't leave Butt Boy brokenhearted".[3] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 56 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[4]
In his review for Variety, Dennis Harvey praised Butt Boy for "the drollest execution possible of the most juvenile concept". He noted the film's successful balance of lowbrow humor and withheld gross-out moments, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate stupid ideas executed smartly. He also highlighted the film's lower-key stylistic approach, reminiscent of 1980s cop-thriller tropes, and the dedicated performances of the cast in their deliberately monotonous roles.[1] Writing for The New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis described the film as "hilariously bawdy" and as "an act of vivacious vulgarity". She notes that despite its absurdity, the movie refuses to be dismissed as a juvenile provocation and delves into themes of addiction, grief, and loneliness, while also surprising with unexpected moments of beauty and pathos. Catsoulis concludes her review by highlighting the film's "aggressive" originality and divisiveness.[5]
Writing for the Los Angeles Times, film critic Justin Chang praised the film for its audacious and outlandish concept, dubbing it "either the best or worst rectal-kink detective noir/addiction drama/supervillain origin story ever made". He criticized the film's failure to fully explore the psychosexual implications of the protagonist's compulsion and described it as a half-hour comic sketch stretched out to an unnecessarily long 100-minute runtime and notes that despite some chemistry between the lead actors, the film's "plodding, procedural-style storytelling" and excessive contrivances made it unentertaining.[2]
In his review for The Hollywood Reporter, John Defore criticizes describes the film as "a juvenile gag" and a "constipated attempt at cult comedy". He notes that the movie's attempts to be provocative and outrageous result in confusion rather than entertainment and that it will only appeal to "a very specific sort of irony-hungry moviegoer" while leaving most others unimpressed.[6] Eric Kohn of IndieWire gave the film a B- and notes that he finds Butt Boy to be surprisingly "slick and entertaining", despite its juvenile premise. However, he also notes that the film's ludicrous nature and outlandish concept may test some viewers' patience, even though it leaves an impression and showcases potential for its director.[7]
References
- ^ a b c Harvey, Dennis (2020-04-17). "'Butt Boy': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ a b Chang, Justin (2020-04-13). "Review: 'Butt Boy' is a strained, clenched exercise in fanny fiction". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ "Butt Boy". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Butt Boy". Metacritic.
- ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (2020-04-15). "'Butt Boy' Review: Compulsion as Comic Noir (Published 2020)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ DeFore, John (2020-04-01). "'Butt Boy': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ Kohn, Eric (2020-04-14). "'Butt Boy' Review: Yes, This Really Is 'Zodiac' Meets 'Stranger Things' With an Anal Fetish". IndieWire. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
External links
- Butt Boy at IMDb
- Butt Boy at Rotten Tomatoes
- Butt Boy at Metacritic