Fido

It's not often that I'm able to see a wholly unique, transcendent satire. It's less often that I'm able to see a comedy about zombies that reminds me of Old Yeller.

Andrew Currie's Fido is one of three great movies I've seen this year (along with David Fincher's Zodiac and Edgar Wright's Hot Fuzz), but it's probably the most "original" movie I've seen since Michael Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was mind-blowing enough to make me mostly ignore its unbelievably pretentious title in 2004. I enclosed the word "original" in quotes in the previous sentence because it's a fairly subjective term "” the argument could be reasonably made that, in fact, everything is original to a large degree, because all movies (excluding the 1998 remake of Alfred Hitchock's Psycho) rely on at least some specific dialogue and plot points that have never been used in other films. Strictly speaking, doesn't that constitute originality? Conversely, the argument could also be reasonably made that, in fact, nothing is original to a large degree, because most filmmakers are soulless bloodsuckers who do nothing but re-hash each others' ideas and present recycled material to the American public in order to make more money. Obviously, neither of those points is entirely accurate, but I suspect the second point is slightly more accurate: When people speak of a movie's originality, they are usually referencing the uniqueness of a movie's idea, and most movies don't have particularly unique ideas. In such a climate, Fido stands out incredibly.

Set in an alternate reality, Fido presupposes that during the 1930's (or whenever), the Earth passed through a cloud of radioactive space dust that caused all the dead people in the world to rise from their graves and attack the living. Humans waged war against the zombies and eventually managed to secure several zombie-free areas where people could live in safety; all other areas were abandoned and left as roaming grounds for the remaining zombies. Fast-forward to the 50's: Zombies are now controllable via the use of a newly-invented collar that suppresses their need for human flesh. Most families own one or more zombies that serve the purposes of both dogs and butlers, although their butler skills are generally below average. The Zomcon Corporation serves to protect human settlements from zombie infiltration, sell domesticated zombies to human families, and constantly monitor domesticated zombies (sometimes their collars malfunction).

The story begins in earnest with little Timmy Robinson (K'Sun Ray; CBS's Smith), a lonely boy who just can't seem to fit in at school; he gets picked on constantly by two members of the Zomcon Cadets, a pre-teen Zomcon training group not drastically unlike the Hitlerjunge. Timmy's parents, Helen (Carrie-Ann Moss; The Matrix, Memento) and Bill (Dylan Baker;

Requiem for a Dream), are comically distant "” they view Timmy as more of a curiosity than as their son, although they seem to recognize that Timmy helps them keep up the appearance of being a normal family. Of course, what the Robinsons really need in order to keep up appearances is a household zombie, which they don't have: Bill had to kill his father-turned-zombie when he was a boy, and has been afraid of zombies ever since. This annoys Helen, who is tired of not having a suitable answer to the question, "So how many zombies does your family own?" when she chats with her friends. Enter Fido (Billy Connolly; The Boondock Saints), the zombie that Helen buys without her husband's consent. Timmy and Fido become fast friends. Bill and Fido become fast enemies. Hilarity ensues.

Connolly's performance is somewhat novel "” because he's a zombie, he can only get his emotions across by grunting and eating people. This will probably draw a lot of critical praise, not all of which will be unwarranted, but it will be a shame if Connolly's performance is the primary focus of analysis regarding this movie. Dylan Baker is, for lack of a better word, fantastic as Bill Robinson "” it's hard for me to imagine anyone else in that role. Although not an especially well-known comic actor, Baker excels as the awkward, emotionless Robinson "” he looks at Timmy as if he's an alien that inexplicably wants to play catch with him on Sundays. Bill wants to play golf. To hell with the little alien.

Both Moss and Henry Czerny (Mission Impossible) are also exceptional in significant roles. Czerny is Mr. Bottoms, across-the-street neighbor to the Robinsons and the local head of Zomcon security, as well as the main obstacle to Fido and Timmy having an awesome time. Czerny brings an unwavering, grim sincerity to Mr. Bottoms while delivering some of the funniest lines in the movie. Moss is likewise excellent as the Pleasantville-esque Helen Robinson, although she gives the slightest impression of being in on the joke.

It's difficult for me to overemphasize how much I enjoyed Fido. Interestingly, I've had a hard time describing it to my friends: Not a traditional zombie movie, not quite a boy-and-his-dog movie, not quite a straight-up comedy, almost a pure satire. Fido has elements of all those genres and a couple more. However, I think I've found an appropriate description. Without going into too much detail: In one scene, a boy accidentally shoots his brother and kills him. This scene is among the funniest scenes in the movie. That's about all I can say.

Movie Grade: A

Synopsis:

Welcome to Willard, a small town lost in the idyllic world of

the 50′s, where the sun shines every day, everybody knows their neighbor, and rotting zombies deliver the mail.

Years ago, the earth passed through a cloud of space dust, causing the dead to rise with a craving for human flesh. A war began, pitting the living against the dead. In the ensuing revolution, a corporation was born: ZomCon, who defeated the legions of undead, and domesticated the zombies, making them our industrial workers, our domestic servants – a productive part of society. ZomCon would like the people of Willard to believe they have everything under control"¦ but do they?

Timmy Robinson doesn’t think so. At eleven, Timmy already knows the world is phony baloney – Mom and Dad just won’t admit it. Now ZomCon’s head of security has moved in across the street, and Timmy’s Mom refuses to be the only housewife on the block who doesn’t have a zombie of her own. When she brings a zombie servant home, Timmy discovers a new best friend, and names him Fido. And even though Dad has a bad case of zombie-phobia, Timmy is determined to keep Fido, even if he does eat the odd person…

Sometimes, it takes a dead man to teach us all what it means to be alive.

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