Civic Duty

Oh my, this is a tense one! For viewers who don't mind being so glued to the screen that they are willing to forego snacks and potty breaks, Civic Duty is the flick to watch.

Without being a spoiler, this reviewer can describe the plot: A fine, sturdy, handsome, upstanding-seeming citizen, who is a CPA and apparently happily married, has a reversal of sorts: he is laid off. No big deal to the macho man. He'll just send out resumes. Problem is, as he awaits calls from the job leads, he sits around at home.

Now for some folks, a little home time is great: catch up on TV, snack, nap, play on the computer, whatever.

For others, time alone is a KILLER! The pun is definitely intended here. Remember Kafka's portrait of a man who goes insane? Remember Dostoyevsky's Raskolnikov? Remember Camus' Meursault? Or in film, remember Michael Douglas in Falling Down? Portraits of folks coming apart can be daunting indeed!

There's more to the plot that cannot be described...no spoiler, as usual, from this reviewer. Suffice it to say that our apparently solid protagonist has a few characters flaws which lead to his slow demise.

A fascinating portrait of the human mind. Well up there with the best portraits of instability.

More importantly, an extraordinary study in bigotry and paranoia. If you've ever wondered about an oddly dressed man on an airplane, and thought, "uh, is this a bomber?", then this film is a must-see for you.

A for Addictive and Astonishing.