We might as well get this started bluntly with a couple of questions. Do you like Wes Anderson’s movies? Did you enjoy Garden State? If you do, there is a very good chance that you are going to like Greg Pritikin’s Dummy. The film shares the same structure and tries to set the same mood. If you don’t like those films, don’t bother. Otherwise, you need to see this movie, because it offers more charm than any other film in recent memory.

The story revolves around four characters, all of whom are intertwined to an over-abundant degree. At the core there is Steven (Adrian Brody) and his best friend Fangora (Milla Jovovich). Steven is an isolated man, 30 years old and still living with his parents. After a late night showing of You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man, he decides that he needs to quit his day job and take up ventriloquism as a career. His friend Fangora hasn’t worked a day since high school and is the lead singer of an absolutely horrid rock band. She wastes her free time stealing books and CDs from Borders. After Steven goes to the unemployment office to get his benefits, he falls for his employment councilor, Lorena (Vera Farmiga). Meanwhile, back at home Steven’s sister Heidi (Illeana Douglas) is going through a crisis of her own; two in fact. She is being stalked by her ex-fiancé and she is having a hellish time with her job as a wedding coordinator. Among these problems is that they need a band.

I am sure you can see where this is going…

This is the first Pritikin film that I have seen, but I will be on the lookout for him in the future. Taking charge as both writer and director, he seems to be a great mix of Wes Anderson and Woody Allen. Each of his characters is, for the most part, likeable even when at their most offbeat. Steven is a stereotypical social outcast, but he isn’t stupid at all. He could have easily been a “Napoleon Dynamite” type but instead he is motivated by his own desires, making him a real person, not a caricature of one. Through his ventriloquist dummy, he is able to provide an outlet for all his insecurities. This makes him able to personify them and confront them in a way he couldn’t do with a real person. The idea of making his best friend a woman really adds to the fun of the script. Fangora definitely takes the masculine role between them and this works out for some solid laughs when he asks her for advice on females.

Milla Factor: 6 (but 9 for performance)

Milla’s performance is completely outstanding. Sadly, it is her least glamorous role that I have seen. But in glamour’s place we get to see her at her most charming. She plays against type extremely well, as she is dressed down and made to look as unattractive as possible. That is no small task, and yet through her charm her beauty still shines through. One of the most fortunate aspects of Dummy for Milla fans is that you get to hear her sing. Milla has professionally recorded music before, and here she gets to perform for us. Even most of the existing fans can’t claim to have ever heard Milla belt out Yiddish celebratory music, but she does here. She does several songs, and she does them extremely well. I would say that the final sequence alone makes this film worth every penny. Can you go on living without hearing Milla sing “Shein Vi Di L'Vone?”

No, you can’t. Go rent it.

Dummy is not a groundbreaking film. It steals bits and pieces from other directors with ease. What makes this acceptable is that what was stolen was taken from the best in the business when it comes to somber, real-life comedy. I wish more comedies took this route. Instead we are still saddled with same “moron” comedies that are replicated 20 times each year. This film is a breath of fresh air and comes with high recommendation.

Extras
The special features included on this disc are plentiful …

And they aren’t worth a damn.

Perhaps Artisan was worried about promoting their 14th release of StarGate at the time hoping that is what would keep them in business. Whatever the reason, the only value in the features here are that they are thematically similar to the film. With the exception of the deleted scenes, nothing here has the slightest to do with Dummy in any form and isn’t worth your time. We don’t even get a trailer. This is a shame since it is such a great film.

Commentary – Feature length video commentary featuring two-time Ventriloquist-of-the-Year Jeff Dunham and his two dummies, Walter and Peanut. At its best, it can be funny. At its worst, it is mind-bogglingly boring. Imagine MST3K. Now imagine watching a film that deserves a real commentary getting an MST3K treatment. Jeff may be a fine ventriloquist, but he really isn’t qualified to talk about this film.

Ventriloquist Lessons - On the main menu, Jeff Dunham tells you all about the six hidden lessons. I must say that I didn’t attempt to try any of them out. Therefore, I can’t vouch for how useful they are. But I am including a list so you can find these “Easter eggs.”

Lesson 1 = 2nd page of Special Features menu
Lesson 2 = 2nd page of Scene Selections (Ch. 4-6)
Lesson 3 = Set-Up Menu
Lesson 4 = Deleted Scenes menu
Lesson 5 = 2nd page of trailers
Lesson 6 = 6th page in Ventriloquism: A History of Dummies feature

Dummies 101: Learning the Ventriloquist Dream (19:33) - This is a “mockumentary” showcasing a fictitious ventriloquist class taught by Jeff Dunham. It’s clever in parts but goes on for far too long and serves no real purpose. There is nothing in it that is truly educational, and certainly nothing related to Dummy as a film.

“What Kind of Dummy are You?” Game - You know those lame “What Kind of Care Bear are You?” and “What ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ Character are You?” games that flood the Internet? Well this is one infesting your DVD. You play through it and you meet a puppet that matches your personality. Psychically, I hear you asking to yourself, “What has this got to do with Dummy?” Nothing… not a damn thing.

Ventriloquism: A History of Dummies - This is an eight-page text article on the history of the craft. It is one of the few interesting and educational features on this disc.

Deleted Scenes - Five deleted scenes, none of which run much more than a minute. Some even have no dialog at all. Pretty useless, and easy to understand why they are deleted.

Trailer Gallery - Features the trailers for the following films… Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, The Punisher (2004), House of the Dead, Quicksand, Step Into Liquid, and The Big Empty.