Zero Effect

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Poe S Mar 9, 2019 Brilliant but flawed. Uneven pacing prevents the movie from achieving overall greatness. Clever with many great moments. Ben Stiller doesnï¿ 1/2(TM)t need to be here. See more

Ron S Jan 6, 2019 This is a great off-beat feature film by Jake Kasdan (son of Lawrence). For its first thirty minutes, Zero Effect is actually quite enjoyable -- it's funny, off-beat, and fresh. The script has some moments of near brilliance (consider the security measures Arlo has to go through to gain entrance to his boss' abode), and, for a while, Zero Effect looks like it could be headed in the direction of a satire. However, time proves this not to be the case and, as the plot moves more into the arena of the traditional mystery, the proceedings drift into an auto-pilot mode with generic story elements and predictable plot twists. Ultimately, the film seems like it's about fifteen minutes too long, and there are enough scenes that don't work that it's not hard to pick out candidates for deletion. Kasdan maintains a light tone throughout, which is fortunate, since it prevents the movie from sinking into ponderousness. Zero Effect is a mixed bag, and it's sure to look a lot better when it eventually reaches HBO than it does playing on the big screen at the local multiplex. (Offbeat, quirky and a fine Bill Pullman performance). See more

Draco W Jun 6, 2018 A beautiful, smart, funny, quirky film. My personal favorite.

Anakin R Sep 21, 2017 I love the blend of comedy and mystery, and that seems to be what Zero Effect is attempting. It’s not hilarious, but there’s enough situational comedy that I was entertained. In many ways the quirky over-observant Daryl Zero reminds me of a TV character that I loved, Adrian Monk. I like this idea of the guy with the awkward personality using his abilities to solve crimes. I wish they could have shared a few more of the clues that he was using to piece things together, because it sometimes felt like he was jumping to a conclusion that I was never given a moment to ponder. However, it worked to establish him as something special, with a mind that we couldn’t fathom. His strange hyper-paranoid behavior made for some laughs as well, so I think he worked as a different kind of detective than the typical Sherlock Holmes types that we see on film. I’m just not sure Bill Pullman was the right actor for the lead role in this movie. He is such a bland and monotone actor that I couldn’t connect with him as the oddball. Meanwhile his exasperated assistant is played by Ben Stiller, and even though I’m not that big of a Stiller fan, he’s on a different comedic plain. I genuinely think a simple swapping of roles would have made a world of difference in Zero Effect, because Pullman would be perfect as the straight man to Stiller’s wackiness. The other flaw in this casting is Kim Dickens, as a sort of femme fatale. I have never been a fan of her acting, and this role just reminded me why. In every single scene I felt like she was bored or annoyed. She is surprisingly flat and emotionless throughout, and it hurts the film particularly in the climax. But the shining star of the cast is Ryan O’Neal who is just amazing in his role. Aside from the missteps by the casting director, I thought Zero Effect was a good film. The mystery was puzzling, and it was constructed in such a way that I didn’t always know what mystery they needed to solve. When all is revealed I was surprised, and didn’t figure it out ahead of time, which is rare for me since I watch so many TV detective shows. Speaking of which, this kind of felt like the pilot for a regular detective show, or like it was based on a series of detective novels. It laid some nice groundwork so that you could go on to show the continuing adventures of Daryl Zero. They even fit in a sort of origin story for the main character, which is handled smoothly in one conversation and some voice-over instead of making a whole movie about how he came to be this guy. I’d probably recommend Zero Effect to others, even though it wasn’t perfect, because it was simply a fun time. See more

Aug 2, 2017 Haven't watched lately so fudging the rating, donating VHS

Albus S May 6, 2012 the film does drag along for a while but the overall film is quite interesting. pullman is well cast in the lead and delivers the performance needed for such a role. if you watch the trailer and walk into this you will feel robbed as this isn't your usual slapstick comedy. treading in coen territory i enjoyed this film alot and wish it had made a bigger dent in the indie cinema circuit. Stiller is fantastic in an early support role and it's a shame he dedicated most of his career to slapstick, as he clearly has the capabilities for dramatic characters. If you walk into this film with the expectations of a riot comedy, you'll be quite annoyed. This is a quirky drama film with interesting twists and turns that unfold right until the conclusion. Kasdan directs carefully, not letting the comedy overlap the story. This a cult film awaiting discovery, I'm sure the fans who have found it shoot high praise. 10-12-2017. See more

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Zero Effect

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