Dead Man Farting.
Swiss Army Man may be the wackiest, most delightful film to be released in 2016 so far. Since it’s premiere at Sundance Film Festival, media outlets have been trying to figure out the appeal of directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert movie about a farting corpse. At first glance, it may seem like a movie you’d want to watch by yourself, what with the negative stigma of gas in our culture, but Swiss Army Man goes way deeper than any fart movie before it. It’s dark.
The film begins with Hank (Paul Dano) alone on an island, seconds before he’s about to hang himself. But before kicking the bucket beneath him, he spots a body washed ashore. Enter Manny (Daniel Radcliffe). When he realizes the only thing Manny’s going to offer up is his farts, Hank tries hang himself again. Until he realizes that he just might be able to flee the island, riding Manny like a speedboat, his gas leading the way. It’s funny when you see it, and pretty unnerving when you actually think about it. Hank’s options are farts or death. But as the movie flows along, it becomes clear that the duo is more than just two bodies trying to find their way home. Hank and Manny, in an odd way, are kind of the modern day Dante and Virgil.
It sounds bizarre and I wanted to debunk it the minute the thought came into mind, but as the movie progresses, it’s difficult not to see the journey of one person who has veered off course and needs assistance in finding the light again. Whether or not the island is a metaphor for his mind, Hank is alone to the point where he is ready to end his life. But before being able to accomplish his task, a mysterious body appears out of nowhere and slowly but surely guides him home.
At first Manny doesn’t speak, his sole function is to fart and drag Hank down as they begin their trek into what looks like the Redwood Forest. Along the way Hank builds hope and as he does Manny slowly comes to life in a pretty grotesque way. It starts with the twitch of his eye, then he pukes up drinkable water for Hank, and after these moment comes communication. The more Hank notices the life coming back to Manny the more he is forced to recall and recreate what he once gave him hope. Using the trash found within the forest, Manny watches as Hank builds various events, movies, and eventually the one moment Hank truly feels is the most meaningful part of what he considers his meaningless life, each scenario building off of the other.
There’s also Manny’s erection that acts as a compass, guiding them in the right direction the more Hank gets in touch with himself, eventually helping them arrive in the backyard of Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s house. Who knows if there’s anything telling about that aspect of the film, but it brings a lot of laughs.
Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe in Swiss Army Man.
They’re a very circular duo, complimenting each other in the most essential ways. One provides the physical elements of survival and the other the emotional level: love, companionship, hope. Manny forces Hank to recall the moments in life that are worth living for. It’s a total flatulent cheese fest, and once you get past the awkwardness of farting, a topic the two discuss, these themes of loneliness, hopelessness, and survival start to grow and overwhelm the story in a humorous way.
As for the ending, Swiss Army Man takes one giant step towards bizarreness and some viewers may need a moment or two to come to terms with where the movie is actually going. Dano’s final test in order to emerge from purgatory, or wherever he and Manny may have been, is to publicly fart and the audience sits wondering if he’s actually going to go through with it.
The Verdict
Swiss Army Man is a must see. Who knew a movie about a farting corpse could have such depth. Dano and Radcliffe’s performance are an absolute delight and the two highlight each other’s capabilities. It’s an absolute delight.
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