Despite some people (myself included) claiming otherwise, we all need some form of emotional support around us in order to continue functioning as human beings. It is these close bonds that help keep us sane and give us meaning to continue with our daily lives. But what happens if you’re stranded somewhere and can’t find solace in your fellow man?
You’ll turn to whatever you can find to create a semblance of human comfort, Chuck Noland had Wilson the volleyball, Rimmer had Mr. Flibble the penguin and Hank Thompson has Manny, a corpse who washed up on the beach with terrible flatulence.
This is the start of the premise for Swiss Army Man, which sees Paul Dano as Hank, a man stranded on a desert island and contemplating suicide until he discovers the corpse of Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) and uses him to escape via *ahem* wind-powered jet-ski. From there, the plot of this film becomes more and more surreal as Hank and Manny form a relationship that is both beautiful and macabre.
It’s very rare to see something that is truly original in this day and age, but this film is definitely firmly ensconced within that niche. The story will leave you guessing where it will go next right up until the credits start to roll with Manny’s body providing Hank with all the means he needs to survive the long trek back home.
Due to the film’s emphasis on the two protagonists (they’re pretty much the only actors in the film until the last 15 minutes,) the script and acting is both to the point and wonderfully nuanced. Dano’s portrayal as a man who regrets some of the choices made in his life is depressingly touching, and the attempts he makes to break himself free from this miasma are incredibly heartwarming and funny at the same time. Meanwhile, Radcliffe plays the dead body of Manny as he guides Hank back to civilisation with much aplomb (one might even say that this is a role that Radcliffe was perfectly suited for.)
Complementing the acting is the soundtrack, which is comprised solely of “Acapella”chanting from the song sung by Dano’s character at the beginning of the film with certain words subtly sung over the top to help describe the action on screen. It’s a fascinating and thrilling way of helping to tell the story as the plot progresses.
Swiss Army Man is a brilliant 98 minutes of dark humour and mild insanity. Whilst you may finding it dragging a teensy-little bit in the middle, it manages to bring everything back with truly gripping force in the final few minutes that will completely change the story you saw, and make you want to go back several times to try and understand everything that happened.
It’s just as the film’s creators said; “The first fart will make you laugh, the last fart will make you cry.”
Those words are the most apt description of the film out there. You won’t find a better reason to watch it anywhere else.
Swiss Army Man is out on DVD & Blu-Ray now!
