Highly Functional Movie Review

The movie “Highly Functional” was directed by Marc Forby. The film’s writer is Tom Dibble. The film features Bruce Campbell Bruce Campbell is an eminent American television a >> Read More... , James Frecheville, G.W. Bailey, Shanda Bezic, Saneh Boothe, Ryan Browne, Laura Carson, Marco Grazzini, and Annabeth Gish. The film is produced by Robert Menzies, Kaila York, and Tom Dibble. The film’s music is given by Christopher Nicholas and Bangs. The film’s cinematography was done by Celiana Cardenas, and the film’s editing was done by Nathan Estabrooks and Jordan Jensen.  

Plot

The movie follows a once-famous country singer Chili Youngfield, played by Bruce Campbell, who was most known for his song “It ain’t the End”. But Youngfield dislikes the song because people like the one song that was not written by him, while the numerous other songs he wrote failed to find a place in people’s hearts. So, he dislikes performing that song, but since it is his most famous song, people always want him to perform it. Bobby, played by James Frecheville, is an autistic young man who corners Youngfield at gunpoint and orders him to follow him quietly. Bobby goes to such lengths to get Youngfield because his guardian Dan suffered a heart attack, and Bobby believes that if Dan heard Youngfield sing his favorite song, “It ain’t the End”, it would boost Dan’s will to live, and he would make a swift recovery. The film follows Bobby and Chili Youngfield’s journey from New Mexico to Colorado.   

Star Performance

Bruce Campbell delivered a phenomenal performance as Chili Youngfield, and also sings for his role, so it is an added benefit for his fans. James Frecheville also played the role of an autistic young man very well.

Analysis

The film portrayed a musician’s flailing career well; Frecheville also did justice to his role. Campbell’s singing is praiseworthy.

What’s There?

• Songs that would warm one’s heart are present.
• Excellent portrayal of the love between a ward and their guardian and the limits to which one would go to save their loved ones
• Some tremendous comedic scenes are also present.

What’s Not There?

• The film is extremely challenging to watch as it has still not found a distributor to release it. The film was presented in 2017 at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award.

Verdict

The film “Highly Functional” is an excellent blend of drama and comedy. The background score and the songs used in the movie are also phenomenal. The actors also did a great job portraying their roles. Bruce Campbell singing country songs is just what your next movie night needs. So, if you are a fan of drama and comedy, then this film is a perfect match.