Where do I even start with this one? My first instinct is to call Swiss Army Man the strangest film I’ve ever seen, and it is a compelling, surreal and bittersweet journey into one man’s mind as he battles insanity, forging an unlikely friendship in the process. That’s all I will say on the plot.
This film is all about the performances. Daniel Radcliffe has come a long way from his days as Harry Potter, affirming himself as a versatile actor, and Swiss Army Man sees him give his best performance yet. Yes, I know he plays a dead body, but trust me, once you’ve seen the film, you’ll know what I mean.
The other main actor in this film is Paul Dano, and I will admit that prior to this film I had no idea who he was. He was in Looper (a somewhat mediocre time-travel film), but I didn’t know that until I checked his IMDB entry. His performance is as good as Daniel’s, and his character is the main one in this movie. His loneliness is what drives the film – he needs Daniel’s character to keep him grounded in his isolation, and it’s through his interactions (which get very bizarre) with Daniel’s character that he discovers he needs to go home.
I can’t say any more than that, without giving away too much. All I shall say is, you need to see this. You won’t regret it.
9/10
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