Dark comedies are hard to come by in our time. They force people to laugh at subjects that they really did not want to laugh at. “God Bless America” is nearly a modern version of ’80s hit “Heathers.” It is a very dark, twisted comedy that has a fairly important message behind it.
The film starts off setting a fairly depressing scene. A man named Frank has absolutely had it with society. He is fed up with his neighbors constantly talking loudly over a crying baby late at night. He can’t stand to watch the uneducated dribble billed as “reality TV” that appears to be the only thing people care about. His ex-wife is getting remarried and his daughter does not want to see him. He gets fired from his job from just being a nice person and then gets told he has a deathly brain tumor that is just as dangerous to operate on as it is to keep.
When his world appears to be utterly pointless to continue living in, he decides to kill himself. After briefly entertaining the idea, Frank puts down the noose in favor of instead killing those on television. His first target is a teenage girl from a reality series called “Tuff Gurlz.” It is at this first stop that he meets his future partner in crime: a teenager named Roxy. Roxy is an unhappy teen who is apparently abused by her parents and desperately wants to turn to a life of crime with Frank.
The two hit it off, driving across the country with only one purpose: to kill people who deserve it. They eventually land at a live broadcast of a singing competition show that is in the style of “American Idol.” It is there that the duo’s rampage comes to an end.
The film’s message is important to understand, even though it is brought about in an abnormal way. The film wants its viewers to understand the state that America is in. It wants people to put their phones down for a minute and not be so connected to them. It is saying that people are becoming more inconsiderate as times change and we need to change it before it gets even more out of hand. According to the film, the way Americans follow and worship celebrities is a travesty. The film also explores how children are becoming more ungrateful. Parents need to start parenting again instead of trying to be a friend to their children.
The film was released in 2011 at the Toronto International Film Festival. It did not earn much at the box, only taking in a little over $100,000. It stars Joel Murray, who played Freddy Rumsen in Mad Men, as the lead Frank Murdoch and also stars Tara Lynne Barr as Roxy. The cast is fairly unknown, with Murray being the most prominent. It is not a happy movie by any means, but it is entertaining. The comedy does outweigh the depressing moments that occur throughout the film.