THE ADVENTURES OF A SOCIOPATH (I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL)

This one's a recent DVD release (hit the shelves on January 26, 2010) and a comedy that's sure to divide audiences.

I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL (09):

I hope they do too, because a cold beverage will be just what I need whilst roasting in the fiery pits of damnation for all eternity. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Tucker Max, this is a dark comedy about a sex-crazed sociopath.

I’ve met (or at least observed) plenty of guys like Tucker and I think Matt Czuchry served up an admirably accurate portrayal of an extreme narcissist. In fact, we’ve all probably met people who brashly act without regard for others or the consequences they may face as a result of said selfish actions. Tucker does whatever the hell he wants, and thusly comes off as quite the proverbial A-hole. And that is precisely why I believe the majority of viewers will not enjoy this film, and in fact, many of you may get so upset with the brazen behavior and abhorrent antics of the protagonist as to violently throw shoes at your TV set or vehemently press the eject button ‘til it breaks long before the end credits.

I, however, the connoisseur not the critic, found things to admire in this ugly portrait of a misguided man-boy with a mean streak and a malevolent mouth. Notably the delicious dialogue. I ate up the mean-spirited put-me-downs and witty yet scandalously scathing invectives like a death row inmate would his last meal. Again, most will find all the verbal abuse shockingly offensive and crude (which the brunt of it is), but there are plenty of people with mouths that spew filth like a backed-up leaky faucet and why Disney-fy inherently dark subject matter.

I appreciate the honest depiction of a real character type and while it does make for some unpleasant viewing, I cannot deny that it peaked my interest and even had me smirking intermittently. Even the scene involving (literal) potty humor had me chuckling under my breath nervously. And while our anti-hero Tucker is by nature an intractable inhuman chauvinist, he gets his comeuppance and even learns his lesson and realizes how poorly he treats those around him.

But it’s not the fairy tale ending it appears to be as Tucker reveals that he has not rapidly changed from a frog to a prince, and that he may have seen the error of his ways but one good deed does not a do-gooder make. And I love this aspect most of all, because people do not change dramatically (or abruptly for that matter) in real life, so as unhappy a thought as it may be, it’s nice to see that Tucker is largely the same bastard he always was, but a bastard baby-stepping his way toward a more humane existence. Bottom line: some dudes might dig it (if you like raunchy comedies with somewhat unlikable but true-to-life protagonists), but ladies beware.

6.4/10