Jacob Wysocki stars in 'Fat Kid Rules the World,' a coming-of-age comedy that marks the directoral debut of actor Matthew Lillard.
(Photo by Arc Entertainment)
Troy is a disappointment. He is a disappointment to his father, he is a disappointment to his teachers, and he'd probably be a disappointment to his friends if he had any.
Mostly, though, he's a disappointment to himself, a morbidly obese teenager with a big heart but no confidence -- and neither the drive nor the know-how to pull himself out of his emotional rut. He is also the fat kid at the center of "Fat Kid Rules the World," a lukewarm coming-of-age comedy opening today (Oct. 19) for a weeklong run at the Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center.
Based on the novel by K.L. Going, "Fat Kid" marks the directoral debut of actor Matthew Lillard ("Trouble With the Curve," "The Descendants"), and while Lillard does nothing here to torpedo his behind-the-camera career, the tepid material doesn't quite announce him as the next Ben Affleck, either.
Jacob Wysocki stars as Troy, and he brings the same gentle appeal to the part that he brought to his lead role in the 2011 indie drama "Terri." Both characters could easily have crossed that fine line separating sympathetic and flat-out pathetic, but Wysocki's likeability keeps that from happening to a large extent.
His Troy is a good kid, just one who has yet to find his way, a rudderlessness only exacerbated by the recent death of his mother. Time is running out for him quickly, though. He's reached that point where his fantasy about stepping in front of a bus is edging dangerously close to reality.
Enter Marcus (played by Matt O'Leary), a triple-threat of loserdom: He is a high-school dropout, he is a junkie, and he is a homeless musician. Sensing that Troy could be the potential source of the odd meal, and perhaps provide a place to shower and crash every now and again, Marcus latches on to him, inviting him to join his non-existent punk band. Never mind that Troy has no musical ability, much less a musical instrument to play.
Deep down, Troy knows that Marcus is a fraud, but in him he finds purpose, not only to expand his social horizons - and maybe learn how to drum along the way -- but to try to help Marcus stop his self-destructive ways. Between Lillard's comic fantasy interludes - which are really all that distinguishes his film from any number of teen-angst comedies -- what unfolds is a story of an outsider who makes up his mind once and for all to stop living a life of passivity and instead take control of his own destiny.
Like Troy himself, the uneven "Fat Kid Rules the World" isn't the kind of movie that you can let yourself dislike outright. It's got its flaws, starting with the fact that the ground it covers is exceedingly well-trodden, but it's amiable and it's honest, and that counts for something.
Still, saddled with a predictable third-act triumph that doesn't quite feel as triumphant as it should, Lillard's film ends up being more unsatisfying than anything else. His "Fat Kid" might rule the world, but it doesn't quite rule the screen.
Note: Lillard will participate in a live Q-and-A via Skype after the 9:30 p.m. screening on Friday (Oct. 19).
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FAT KID RULES THE WORLD
2 stars, out of 5
Snapshot: A coming-of-age comedy about an overweight and friendless teenager who is invited by a dropout junkie to be part of his punk-rock band. Based on the novel by K.L. Going.
What works: The performances are strong, and the film has a sense of honesty about it.
What doesn't: The tepid material is unable to hide the fact that this ground has been covered before.
Starring: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O'Leary, Billy Campbell, Dylan Arnold, Lili Simmons. Director: Mathew Lillard. Rating: R, for sexual and drug content, and brief violent images. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Where: Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center.