VHYES (R)
Released By Oscilloscope Laboratories
Review by John Pugh
Retrofitted for fans of Adult Swim, 80’s nostalgia, and comedy in general, VHYES brings us back to the era of home video cameras and the magic of recording over special life moments with random daily snapshots and of course some weird late night tv programming. Writer/Director Jack Henry Robbins, son of Academy Award winning actor Tim Robbins and Academy Award winning actress Susan Sarandon, creates a silly compilation of the odd and bizarre, and all of this is entirely filmed on VHS.
When young Ralph (Mason McNulty) gets his 12-year-old hands on his family’s VHS camcorder, he and his best friend, Josh(Rahm Braslaw), embark on the filmmaking journey of their young lives but they do it at the expense of accidentally recording over his parents’ wedding tape. This mishap transpires while capturing memories of their own lives and recording some truly ludicrous TV programming in the process.
Some of the best moments in VHYES are when Ralph and his buddy Josh are together on screen as their friendship feels authentic, endearing, and quite funny. Additionally, there’s an interesting juxtaposition of grounded drama–most notably when it pertains to Ralph’s real life– and the absurd TV programming inadvertently being recorded over mom and dad’s special day.
Robbins created the 2018 Sundance comedy entry PAINTING WITH JOAN, a buzzed-about short starring Kerri Kenney. This just so happens to be one of the many funny segments compiled in Ralph’s VHS recordings.
There is definitely a genuine comedic power in the offbeat randomness found in VHYES but not everything in this feature sticks. Some of the segments feel a little redundant as we revisit them throughout the film. Further still, a couple of jokes are recycled along the way. The majority of the film seems to be more off the cuff scripting and improvisation–which is not necessarily a bad thing with the right actors.
A lot of liberty given to the seasoned comedic actors on display, especially more known performers like Thomas Lennon, Kerri Kenney, Mark Proksch, and Charlyne Yi. They all bring something to the table but there’s no doubt that some are simply funnier than others. Robbins keeps the segments short and breezy giving the relatively brief 71-minute film a brisk flow. Because of the short run time, the jokes that don’t land are forgivable.
Fittingly, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon make quick but memorable cameos and both are sure to make you smile. In fact, if you blink, you may miss Sarandon’s appearance as she slides into frame for just a few seconds and then right back out again. Meanwhile, Robbins is virtually unrecognizable thanks mostly in part to all the makeup.
In the end, VHYES doesn’t attempt to bring anything new to the VHS found footage subgenre that can’t already be found on the relentlessly trippy programming stylings of Adult Swim. Though again, with its short run time, simple story, and eccentric flights of comical fancy, it does offer some entertainment value. At the very least, VHYES is sure to leave you wondering what hidden treasures might be waiting to be discovered in your old VHS tape collection–For those of you who are still lucky enough to have such a collection.
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