Writer/Director Macon Blair is trying to bring back the chaotic road-trip comedy with The Shitheads. But does it work? I’m unsure. There are moments that land and genuine laughs sprinkled throughout, but it has left me wondering if the movie itself misses the mark or if I’ve simply outgrown this particular brand of wacky buddy comedy. As a big fan of Blair’s previous work, that conundrum surprises me.
The Shitheads follows two aimless losers, Mike and Davis, who both recently lost their jobs and stumble into a weird new job opportunity. They are now working for a company that transports troubled teens to rehab facilities. Their first assignment together introduces us to Sheridan (Mason Thames). Sheridan is a spoiled rich kid who is deeply disturbed. Not the kind of crazy that goes away with a hug and the love of his parents. The kind of sociopath that needs to be locked away forever.
Mark (Dave Franko) is just an asshole. Period. The end. Davis (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) is more likable. He’s just a doofus who makes really dumb choices in life. Am I rooting for anyone in this trio? No. And that’s a problem. When nearly every character is some shade of awful, the narrative loses a crucial anchor.
The Shitheads Is a Road Comedy That Loses the Map
Similar to other absurd comedies like The Hangover, Joy Ride, and Pineapple Express, the story takes on a nonsensical, multilocation format, introducing bizarre characters in escalating situations. However, The Shitheads journey has no point. In the best versions of this genre, those absurd detours are anchored by characters who evolve or reveal unexpected humanity. I’m not saying they need to become good people, but something needs to change. Here, the journey often feels aimless, leaving the few humorous moments to carry the entire film.
Ironically, my favorite section of the movie comes from a ragtag band of side characters, led by Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), on a “rescue mission” to track down and save Sheridan. Dinklage plays the situation with dry opportunism, treating the mission more like a payday than a moral obligation. Alongside him is Nicholas Braun (Zola) as a wannabe SoundCloud rapper who genuinely believes he’s a werewolf. There is also a third woman in the rescue crew, though unfortunately, the character feels more like a box-checking inclusion than a fully realized role. She’s present, but the script gives her little to do, leaving the character without personality or narrative purpose.
That said, I could have spent the entire film with Dinklage’s band of misfits as the antagonists of the film. Their bizarre dynamic added the much-needed energy of uncomfortable comedies that the film desperately needed.
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