The Death of Dick Long

Dir. Daniel Scheinert

USA

100 Minutes

2019

Starring: Michael Abbott Jr., Virginia Newcomb, Andre Hyland, Sarah Baker, Jess Weixler, Poppy Cunningham, Roy Wood Jr. 

***/***** Daniel Scheinert's southern noir comedy The Death of Dick Long begins with the whispers of debauchery that leads to the situation promised by the title. But when the narrative begins proper, survivors Zeke Olson (Michael Abbott Jr.) and Earl Wyeth (Andre Hyland) are left to dispose of the body in front of a hospital. What follows is a chaotic day for Zeke as he covers his tracks and gets himself deeper into trouble as the world wakes up to uncovering the identity of the corpse, leading to a confrontation with his inquisitive wife Lydia (Virginia Newcomb) about what really occurred to lead to the death of Dick Long.  The script by Billy Chew keeps cards to itself, revealing information piecemeal while remaining consistently engaging and entertaining. The structure can basically be cut in two: the first half primarily the paranoid Zeke figuring out his next move, and the second his reluctant confession to his weary wife. The former has some nice moments of comedy between Abbott and Hyland, the two a strange blend of watching Alexander Skarsgård and Danny McBride team up for some strange goings-on, though some of the situations Zeke gets involved in feel less organic to his character, though dimwitted in his anxious haste, and more necessary to advancing towards the eventual revelation. And this is quite the moment when it finally takes place, though perhaps Chew uses it as a crutch for shock before running a bit out of steam moving to the final moments. In a way, this is a film where the climax occurs midway and unfortunately peters out when it should be picking up steam. But there is quite a lot to like here, and Scheinert (making his solo debut here after co-directing Swiss Army Man a few years back) is a bit more interesting without his partner, with the earlier film feeling like an extended joke substituting creative for a tiresome gag. Here he brings a sense of lived-in community to the geography of this small town, focusing on small exchanges, rhythms, and individual verbal cadence for even the most microscopic of characters. It is all very carefully and thoughtfully crafted, and the film does not judge any of these people, situations, or, ultimately, secrets. There are just times where The Death of Dick Longsettles for the oddness of its conflict rather than going anywhere beyond that mode.  October 13th, 2019