VHYes (2020)

By: Mike Ward on Saturday, January 18

NR Running Time: 72 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • The feature film debut from Jack Henry Robbins, son of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, has a clever idea and definitely does not lack ambition.

  • Fans of Robbins’ short films will perhaps see quite a bit they like here, though his two most notable shorts - “Painting with Joan” and “Hot Winter” are prominently included in the film.

  • Those who like sketch comedies of the past like Amazon Women on the Moon, The Kentucky Fried Movie, and UHF may admire the nostalgic throwback vibe of the project.

NO

  • Lacks one thing all comedies need for some level of success: It simply isn’t very funny.

  • The structure is never really adhered to, making this just a mess of a movie to try and follow.

  • Please don’t get political. Please don’t get politi… wait. Okay, Nevermind.


OUR REVIEW

The ambition, the concept, and the ideas poured into Jack Henry Robbins’ sketch-driven, nostalgic comedy, VHYes, admittedly are pretty clever. The execution of them? Not so much…

Shooting on VHS and digital BetaMax, Robbins’ film is loosely based around the idea of a 12-year-old boy, Ralph (Mason McNulty), who accidentally tapes over his parents’ wedding video, recording a combination of self-made video recordings and a random mix of television shows.

Naturally, a professional wedding video would not be easily recorded over, but let’s just assume Ralph put scotch tape over the tabs and went to town. Then again, it really wouldn’t be an accident at that point, but I digress…

What we learn is Ralph got a new video camera for Christmas and his snippets of recordings take place over the course of several days. Set in December 1987, he films himself and best buddy Josh (Rahm Braslaw) goofing around. He captures segments of television shows which spoof “Antique Roadshow”, home shopping channels, an investigative report on a possible witch in a sorority house, infomercials, commercials, and (naturally) softcore porn from late night cable television, among other things.

The whole thing proves to be something of a Shaggy Dog-like story, which eventually wanders into some metafiction where Ralph becomes immersed in the video clips in more ways than one. However, by that point, we are straining to reach just 60-65 minutes of running time and can likely count on one hand the number of chuckles or laughs we have generated.

The energy behind this endeavor stays apparent though, and the film occasionally hits some of its marks. Ralph, through all the haphazard edits and smash cuts the film relies on, has great on-screen chemistry with his mother (Christian Drerup). Their scenes together prove to be the best the film has to offer.

Scenes involving Kerri Kenney’s strange character, Joan, “Painting with Joan” and “Sleeping with Joan” are probably the funniest thing in VHYes, but may be familiar to those who have already watched versions of these clips on Robbins’ YouTube channel. A late night movie program airing pornography with all the sex scenes removed is a clever gag, but one that can only go one place and wastes its joke the first time we realize what’s happening. Again, also in a similar form on the YouTube channel.

Throughout VHYes, we keep waiting for that moment where we can start to laugh along with the filmmakers. Sadly, it never comes. So many jokes and gags fall flat and so many potential cameos get wasted along the way.

Though a beautiful musical number, I still don’t understand one sequence involving Charlyne Yi’s character hosting a cable access music performance program in her basement. One guest, Natalie (who is actually Natalie Mering, a/k/a alt-rock singer Weyes Blood) steps up to the microphone and performs her 2016 song, “Generation Why.” The song, performed in its entirety, feels like it belongs in a completely different movie, and is far and away the longest scene in the film.

And look, we all should be listening to Weyes Blood, don’t get me wrong…but Robbins’ decision on including her in this way is rather baffling to say the least.

Who knows, perhaps VHYes will find an audience and develop some level of cult-like status among comedies and I will revisit all of this at a later date. However, when a movie runs a gag about people using portable soundproofing walls so no one can here you using the bathroom (and does so twice?!), you start to wonder if there was ever really a feature-length film idea here to begin with.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Mason McNulty, Kerri Kenney, Christian Drerup, Thomas Lennon, Mark Proksch, Courtney Pauroso, Charlyne Yi, Rahm Braslaw, Weyes Blood, Jake Head, William Frederick Knight, Louie Madrapilias, Nunzio Randazzo, Mona Lee Wylde, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon.

Director: Jack Henry Robbins
Written by: Jack Henry Robbins, Nate Gold, Nunzio Radazzo
Release Date: January 12, 2020
Oscilloscope Laboratories