Fantastic Fest 2021: "Sweetie, You Won't Believe It" Is A Bloody Bromantic Hoot
Borat isn’t the only good thing to come out of Kazakhstan! Kazakhstani writer/director Yernar Nurgaliev makes his international breakout with his violent comedy Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It. The film had its Texas premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest, and it sent heads rolling — literally and figuratively — and had the audience in stitches with its hilariously thrilling bloodbath about brotherhood and male bonding.
Dastan decides to run away for at least one day with his friends - a would-be businessman and a district police officer. The men decide to go fishing and everything would have gone smoothly, if not for a series of unforeseen, sudden, incomprehensible, violent and irreversible events.
A rural bro-trip goes hilariously awry in Yernar Nurgaliev’s third feature, Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It. As the title implies, the film’s incredible misadventures must be seen and experienced to be believed. Imagine Without A Paddle meets The Hangover with over-the-top, Tarantino-esque gore and the comedic horrors of Tucker And Dale vs Evil, and we’re somewhere in the ballpark. It’s a wild ‘n crazy, lean, bloody, and breezy 84-minute thrill ride that will have you rolling with laughter and enveloped by the hilarity of its increasing calamity.
The film centers around Dastan, a soon-to-be father, who is growing increasingly frustrated by his nagging wife. Unable to withstand her constant onslaught any longer, Dastan suddenly declares one evening that he’s taking a fishing trip with his friends, a would-be businessman and a district police officer, both of whom Dastan rarely gets to see because of his demanding wife with baby. In a van filled with sex dolls and optimism, the trio attempt to escape their drama-filled lives, but their tranquil escape is short lived.
After they accidentally witness some inept mobsters waste a guy, they’re easily spotted on the river. If being pursued by murderous goons intent on tying up loose ends weren’t bad enough, there’s also a one-eyed, backwoods lunatic highly skilled with knives and his fists who starts to pick off both sides. Amidst all the chaos, there’s also a strange family with a “friendly” daughter looking for a mate. With no one to help or even hear them scream, what twisted fates and bodily injury will greet our heroes and villains?
Heads will roll and an ample amount of blood is spilled, but Nurgaliev often spins the horrors of the trio’s situation for comedic effect. The film is loaded with excellent slapstick comedy, which extends to gore as much as it does the physicality of the performances. You get great body language, hilarious reactions and facial expressions, and expertly timed headshots and beheadings. In particular, there’s a Three Stooges type vibe to Dastan and his friends that adds to the film’s comedic charms.
As Nurgaliev told us, the gory, genre-mashing that Sweetie thrives on is atypical for Kazakhstan films, most of which tend to be melodramas, and this bold step in a new direction is likely what’s helped it breakout into other parts of the globe. For many global markets, Sweetie isn’t anything new per se, but it’s a film that audiences will find not only easily accessible, but also highly entertaining. Nurgaliev — who also edited the film, in addition to writing and directing — finds an excellent rhythm that gives Sweetie’s charged up antics an even glide. He showcases firm, assured direction and gives the film the right energy, filling it with some beautiful tracking shots along the way.
The writing is also pretty solid. In particular, there’s some interesting symbolism to the factions of masculinity the Nurgaliev presents. We see the negative sides of toxic masculinity from those that operate in packs (the mobsters) and those who roam by their lonesome (the one-eyed pychopath). Dastan and his friends are somewhere in between, and they’re trying to find the middle ground. Since Dastan’s been married (and especially since his wife has been pregnant), he doesn’t get to see his friends, both of whom are still basking in their bachelor days which is no longer that cute. Their disastrous fishing trip helps to put things in perspective. It helps Dastan realize how much he needs time with the guys, and inversely, Dastan’s strong feelings about family and being a father help his bachelor buddies realize that it’s probably time to grow up.
The major issue with the film is the caricature of the wife that bookends its bonkers journey. Sure, it serves as the catalyst for the men’s misadventure, but it’s the weakest portion of the narrative. It’s a bit too cliché and over done. It might be fresh in Kazakhstan, but it’s a well-worn aspect to North American audiences. That aspect could have been easily altered to give the female character (who is played by Nurgaliev’s actual wife, funny enough) a bit more nuanced. There are fresher angles to take with that character that could have led to the same outcome, but for the most part, that’s the only real issue with this bloody bromantic hoot.
Overall, Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It is one helluva comedic disaster film. It serves up the kind of laughs and comedic insanity that you’d find in films likeTucker And Dale vs Evil and After Hours. It’s a delightfully bonkers action comedy that’s funny and freaky in equal measure, delivering frenetic fun that’s tightly wound and beautifully shot. Through it all, it’s about the relationships between men and their necessity — even though they have the tendency to sometimes get us in trouble — and it marks a new talent to keep your eye on.
Recommendation: We highly recommend this if you’re a fan of splatterific slapstick comedy. The film has been picked up by 101 Films for North American distribution; however, a firm release date has yet to be set.
Rating: 4 headshots outta 5.
Craving more?! Check out the link below:
Audio interview with Yernar Nurgaliev for Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It
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!