Well you know The Reel Rhino usually runs a nice, clean, family friendly show. In honor of the star of WINNEBAGO MAN, Jack Rebney, the internet-proclaimed "Angriest Man Alive," I had to cut loose a little bit!
JACK REBNEY takes cursing to the next level. He has a unique and resonating voice and to hear him unleash a torrent of rage is almost poetic.
I will be honest with you in that until I heard of this movie, I had not ever heard of THE WINNEBAGO MAN. The YouTube clips are hilarious, yes they are...check it out for yourself if you haven't seen them - BEWARE - These are not safe for work!

This is a great movie. With funny material at its core and a beating heart to go with it. Things play out in three parts. The first act is Steinbauer discussing his experiences enjoying the Winnebago Man footage. He looks at how Rebney existed as a viral video, long, long before the term viral video even existed. This guy became a sensation, without the internet. He became a sensation from people dubbing VHS tapes and passing them among their friends. If you wanted to share this footage, you actually had to do some work. It wasn't until the advent of YouTube that Rebney's popularity really hit stride....and all the while, Rebney himself had no idea. This first act is about Steinbauer's desire to get to the heart of this phenomenon....and maybe to meet the man behind the magic.
Steinbauer reaches out to the found footage and underground video community and he learns more about the legendary video clips. Events take off after Steinbauer manages to track Rebney down and even set up a meeting with him. This leads to act two...getting to know the man.
As for describing the structure of this film, I will stop there. There really aren't spoilers, to say, for it is a documentary. It is all based on real life and it is all dealing with clips that have been viewed millions of times over. I went into this film knowing very little and it enhanced my enjoyment.
I will share with my feelings on the film and more specifically, Rebney. At the outset, seeing the clips made me laugh. Hell, they are funny and if you don't think so, yikes! It is funny to hear a grown man, with such a distinctive voice, get utterly frustrated and to let his curse-flag fly. But as the film progresses, you start to feel things moving more towards tragedy than comedy.
In the movie, Steinbauer interviews a variety of people, but it is his talk with the hosts of a found footage show that are the most revealing. When Steinbaier asked them if they have ever tried to track Rebney down, they both answer with a resounding, NO! They go on to explain, it's funny to anonymously laugh at strangers, but the minute you get to know that stranger as a person, the hilarity turns to tragedy.
So true, if you think about the clips and photos that get circulated via e-mail...you probably received some today. We don't know these people and we can laugh at them. If you got a picture of your brother or sister sent to you, passed-out drunk, with a bucket over their head....it wouldn't be funny...you'd be pissed.
So true, if you think about the clips and photos that get circulated via e-mail...you probably received some today. We don't know these people and we can laugh at them. If you got a picture of your brother or sister sent to you, passed-out drunk, with a bucket over their head....it wouldn't be funny...you'd be pissed.
Steinbauer's approach manages to humanize Jack Rebney. There are a few unsettling moments in this film, but I think that ultimately this film could be called a flattering portrayal of Jack Rebney. This is a very compelling and endearing portrait of a sometimes angry man, whom by the end of the movie, you actually care for.
As someone in the film put it, (paraphrased)
~ he is really a sweet guy, kinda like my angry grandfather. ~
The man Jack Rebney reminds me of how I felt for Clint Eastwood's character, Walt Kowalski, in Gran Torino. Yes, Walt was capable of being a miserable old cuss...but at the end of the day, you couldn't help yourself for rooting for him.
~ he is really a sweet guy, kinda like my angry grandfather. ~
The man Jack Rebney reminds me of how I felt for Clint Eastwood's character, Walt Kowalski, in Gran Torino. Yes, Walt was capable of being a miserable old cuss...but at the end of the day, you couldn't help yourself for rooting for him.
The Reel Rhino gives this a solid 5 of 5 horns and says get out there and see this at all costs.

I just watched I'M STILL HERE, which is currently available on TIME-WARNER On-Demand. I will try and write on it soon. I loved it. I know that up until recently, controversy existed as to the authenticity of this film as a documentary.

For now, Reel Rhino out.
Catch you later....
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThere are many people in this world who have been inspired by movies to do something big in their lives.
larry