Feels Good Man: A Cautionary Tale About The Dangers Of Internet Culture
Arthur Jones makes his feature film debut with Feels Good Man, an astounding documentary about the perils of internet culture. The film is an extensive and detailed chronicle of the life of internet sensation Pepe the Frog, a crudely drawn amphibian designed by artist Matt Furie as a celebration of weirdness and individuality that finds a dark and ominous second life on the Wold Wide Web.
When indie comic character Pepe the Frog becomes an unwitting icon of hate, his creator fights to bring Pepe back from the darkness. A Frankenstein-meets-Alice in Wonderland journey of an artist battling to regain control of his creation.
If you’ve never heard the name Pepe the Frog before, chances are you’ve seen him floating around the internet in some capacity, whether it be a headline or (more likely) a meme. The humanoid frog made his first impactful appearance in Furie’s 2005 issue of Boy's Club, which found Pepe urinating with his pants pulled down to his ankles. His infamous catchphrase, “Feels good man,” serving as a concise celebration of weird individuality. "My Pepe philosophy is simple…,'“ Furie said in a 2015 interview with The Daily Dot. “It is based on the meaning of the word Pepe: 'To go Pepe'. I find complete joy in physically, emotionally, and spiritually serving Pepe and his friends through comics. Each comic is sacred, and the compassion of my readers transcends any differences, the pain, and fear of 'feeling good'."
Regardless of your knowledge of Pepe’s story, Feels Good Man paints a finely-detailed portrait of his life to date, which serves as an excellent entry point for noobs and an engagingly detailed profile for longtime fans. Jones’ film chronicles Pepe from his creation to his mutation (through virality) and subsequent adoption (by hate groups), using his creator as a throughline. After Pepe is twisted into a perverse hate symbol, the innocent and naive Furie — whose soft, kind, and peace-loving personality couldn’t be further from the pronunciation of his last name — finds himself in the center of something dark and vast that’s over his head and beyond his control.
Feels Good Man is veritable trip, and its story becomes more fascinating at every turn. One the best things about it is how it continues to morph and evolve. Just as you think it can’t get any darker — or weirder — Jones surprises you with a new development or angle. The film really takes the necessary time to explore each layer to Pepe’s crazy evolution, and while its shrouded in quite a bit of darkness, Jones and co-writer Giorgio Angelini find the perfect soft note to make an exit, which gives the film a positive spin and an uplifting send off.
The film is neatly arranged and nicely edited. It effectively examines internet culture and creative ownership within a digital age, building toward a thought-provoking argument over its power and influence, which is actually quite scary. Aside from its compelling focus and central story, its most gleaming aspect is perhaps its animation, which includes cartoon sequences and energized internet footage. The cartoons breathe new life into Pepe and the rest of the Boys Club crew and give the film’s darker elements a splash vibrant color and levity. The internet footage gives the film’s progression a sense of urgency, and its propulsion can be felt viscerally, which is seldom true of a documentary.
Full of highs and lows, Feels Good Man is an engrossing journey into life in a digital age. Ultimately, it shows that no matter something’s intended purpose, there’s always the possibility of it being swept away and reworked to fit someone else’s agenda without any control or say. Feels Good Man is a harrowing tale, but it’s far from a downer. As much as it opens your eyes, it will make you laugh and leave you feeling inspired.
Recommendation: If you’re interested in the power of the internet and/or love compelling, multi-layered narratives that are superbly constructed, Feels Good Man is a must-see.
Rating: 5 Pepes outta 5.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!