I’ve never heard of writer/producer/star Brian Petsos, but he must have friends in high places to get such a project off the ground. He plays Harry, a self-described good guy who’s done some bad things, for which his murdered pup, Jolly, has paid the ultimate price. With no job, Harry has nothing better to do than achieve vengeance; with his cousin (Oscar Isaac, The Bourne Legacy) in tow, he does just that.
Jolly is a thoroughly unappealing exercise, undeserving of its titular exclamation point. Revenge is a waste of time and its talented supporting cast, including Kristen Wiig, Elijah Wood, Gillian Jacobs (TV’s Community), Adam Brody and Garret Dillahunt (Looper).
Worst of all, it’s simply, startlingly unfunny. Black comedy is one thing, but nihilism — which this work practices — is another. —Rod Lott
Hey! Read This:
• The Bourne Legacy film review
• Community: The Complete Second Season DVD review
• Looper Blu-ray review
