I realized something as I watched Don Verdean, director Jared Hess’ latest weirdo / comedy project, that all of his films play out like an inside joke. You aren’t sure what the joke is or the context and as you watch each film from Napoleon Dynamite to Nacho Libre, you aren’t sure if you’re supposed to laughing or just feel awkward. That’s how things play out for a first viewing every time but what’s so interesting about Hess’ films is that on a second viewing, the become flat out hilarious.
I’m not sure if Don Verdean will turn out the same on a second viewing but I can say that the first time through, there were quite a few laugh out loud lines. It’s pretty quotable. There’s a few dull moments that should have been trimmed but overall, I had a good time with this. Loved Sam Rockwell (as always). If you like Hess’ brand of bizarro humor, you’ll enjoy this too.