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Sick Product of a Sick System

Just perfect...

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It's a little unsurprising why Jeff Anderson' (of Clerks- fame) directorial debut was released theatrically in 2002 but sat on the shelf for four years before receiving a DVD release until 2006. The same year this film was released on DVD, Clerks II, the sequel to the film that put both Anderson and director Kevin Smith on the map was released theatrically. As a writing and directorial debut, Anderson's film plays very similar instruments to that of a Smith film, with long takes involving extensive dialog between characters and random conversations concerning a wide array of topics taking place. To say it matches the quality of what it is inspired by is quite the stretch but to say it adequately works as an intriguing little comedy- drama is an efficient summation.The film concerns Jeremy (Jeremy Sisto), your typical everyman whose fiancée Kerri (Rashida Jones) has just called off the wedding for undisclosed reasons. Returning home to their homestate of New Jersey, Jeremy and Kerri spend sometime apart, with Jeremy hanging out with his slacker-buds Gil (Jeff Anderson) and Biscuit (Trevor Fehrman) while Kerri hopes to hear rational advice from her newly- expecting friend Marty (Heather Paige Kent). Gil and Biscuit only pretend to feel for Jeremy's circumstance before too long. They're ecstatic to have their old, untied buddy back who can come with them to pull off cheap "heists" on an poor, innocent neighbor. The two have made a hobby out of breaking and entering into an older man's home at night, rearranging his furniture, family photos, and tables so that, hopefully, he will invest in a home security system manufactured by Gil's good friend. The whole subplot is so asinine and completely out there that it surprisingly warrants quite a few laughs.The relationship Kerri and Marty share is a more dignified one, predicated off of trust and honor with a dash of silliness. However, the two find themselves in a wacky misunderstanding when Marty decides to take Kerri out to a lesbian bar to take her mind off Jeremy and the opposite sex, which only leads to confusion on Jeremy's behalf when he learns from a friend his ex-fiancée was seen at a lesbian bar with another woman.Anderson's slowburn technique of giving every scene a moderate amount of dialog is a writing-strategy I never tire of. We spend, on average, anywhere from 80 to 150 with movie characters and, as I've said before, some writers don't even have the interest to give the characters last names let alone personalities. Anderson cares in the regard that he infuses his characters with smartly-written dialog that works thanks to a lack of dependence on senseless ranch and more of a clear emphasis on how the three male friends interact with one another.Sisto, in particular, is your average leading man, often funny, believable enough to take seriously in his current life- predicament and common enough as an everyman character to relate to in a simplistic sense. Anderson and Fehrman often lend a hand in creating a more lax, much less uptight environment thanks to their natural acting talents of saying something completely ridiculous and finding ways without smiling while doing it. And with two equally strong female leads and a great cameo by Kevin Smith and his wife Jennifer Schwalbach- Smith there's little to complain in regards of the actors.I suppose the only thing I can really fault Now You Know for is how it drifts and occasionally meanders, sometimes too far past the line of not being funny or sometimes too far past the line of being redundant. With Anderson being a new writer/director and already seemingly pioneering himself after the soul who put him on the map, perhaps that's something to kind of expect. But let it be known that even when Now You Know hits dry patches, it still manages to be more entertaining than many other independent comedy films that either try too hard or are dead-on arrival.The final thing to note about with Now You Know is its absence of raunchy humor. A large element of many of these kinds of films is the raunch-factor and Anderson employs it conservatively, with great restraint allowing other filmmaking tactics such as writing and character- acting to surface. With Anderson's roots, this is an admirable feat that is one of the many defining reasons why Now You Know succeeds.Starring: Jeremy Sisto, Jeff Anderson, Trevor Fehrman, Rashida Jones, Heather Paige Kent, Kevin Smith, and Jennifer Schwalbach-Smith.

Wow. One of the best film surprises in ages. I loved everything about Now You Know. It is deftly written and funny. FUNNY funny, especially scenes with the characters Gil (played by writer-director-actor-Clerk Jeff Anderson) and Biscuit. I'd expect big laughs from Anderson, but the biggest surprise is how sweet and romantic the movie is. It takes a really gifted, confident talent to pull off a comic romance, and in all honesty, Now You Know is better than 99% of films of this genre that made it into theaters in the past few years. How this one fell between the cracks, I don't know, but I heard from a friend who heard from a friend that it might be coming out on DVD. Don't miss it. It's a gem.

I must say this was a FABULOUS movie. Saw it at 2005 Vulgarathon(fabulous time by the way, got pics with Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes and siggys from them and Brian Johnsen and Joey Loren Adams), and need to see it again(but first need to see Big Helium Dog again). This movie was very funny. And the love story gave a good balance although a bit mushy at parts for me. The changing furniture thing was genius. A couple days after i saw it with me friend, she was up late(as usual)and decided she would take his idea and freak her mom out by switching the living room and kitchen (she did a very good job). Now its my turn to do that to my house, mwahahahahaha. So yes, wonderful movie. I recommend it to all. And may I just add, I LOVE BISCUIT!!!!!!!can't wait to see him again in clerks2.

An excellent mix of buddy film and sensitive female drama. Jeff Anderson reprises his Clerks role in this film and is great in every scene. His sidekick is amusing....and the love story surrounding the film...well my girlfriend bought every word. Not I....but that part of the film was not meant for me....I am really surprised this movie did not see general release. It really is quite good, professionally shot and acted....and interesting all the way through....Oh yeah...The girl for Home Improvement was in the film...and that part was meant for me!