This movie has no reason to exist. It's story wants to be absurdist but it just turns out to be silly. It's styleless, pointless, and dull. I can't imagine why anyone would put money into it, why anyone would want to take the time to direct it or why anyone would ever bother to continue watching after the first 30 minutes. It tinkers with a plot that makes you believe some elaborate con must be taking place to the titular Ed. But, alas, all is as it seems here. Once we know this, there really is no reason to continue watching.

The one thing that I did glean from watching "Ed and His Dead Mother" is that Steve Buscemi, who plays Ed, is actually pretty cute. I don't know why I find him so physically appealing. He looks like the bastard child of Don Knotts, David Bowie and Droopy Dog. With his huge bugging eyes, his thin frame and a smile that looks like an upside down vampire's grin, Buscemi cleans up pretty nicely. Put him in a suit with a skinny tie and I just can't take my eyes off of him. I know, however, that I'm probably pretty alone here.

Buscemi, who has a rare leading role in the film, is his usual weird self. He's a great new wave actor who deserves meaty, oddball roles. He's been great in Tarintino films, "The Hudsucker Proxy" and other small roles but, darn it, he deserves a film of his own. This is not the film. He does do admirable work here but the pointless storyline with it's lifeless (pun intended) direction that we get here bogs him down to a hopeless level. Buscemi can't do anything to help himself here no matter how hard he tries. Eventually he is as mired down in the muck as the film is.

The only other recognizable star is Ned Beatty who plays slightly against type as an aging pervert. Spending most of the film ogling an attractive next door neighbor, Beatty eventually stops trying here too. Why should he, there's nothing to work towards. Once he read the end of the script, Beatty surely knew that it was time to give up. Everyone else had.

For what it's worth, some of the secondary cast have moments. Sam Jenkins, as Storm, the sexy next door neighbor, is able to ignite a few sparks with Buscemi. When the two make out, there is passionate chemistry bursting from the side of the screen. Unfortunately this is maybe five minutes of the film. The love story between these two could have been quite nice if we didn't have the real plot here to muck it up. John Glover is interesting as the salesman AJ Prattle, but he's not weird enough. he needs to watch a few more Lynch films and then try again. Miriam Margolyes tries her best as the titular dead mother but she has no real character to work with. Ed is supposed to be a real mama's boy and we can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to keep this mama buried in the ground. Not because she's a pain in the ass but because she's so damn dull. Who could miss her? We didn't even see her when she was alive, she is so lifeless. Jonathan Gries and Rance Howard also have small roles but like the rest their efforts are futile. The script never does anyone justice here.

Why Jonathan Wacks wanted to direct this picture is beyond me. Was somebody giving him his first opportunity behind the camera? He would have done better to take a pass. This will harm him more than ever help him. What Chuck Hughes was trying to say with this film is anyone's guess as well. I imagine the writer could have hoped to make a statement about overbearing matriarchal figures and their impact on their male offspring but Hughes doesn't accomplish that here. Instead, what we get is a forth rate "Twilight Zone" episode elongated into a listless feature film. Hughes should have abandoned this script somewhere after page 30.

Maybe Wacks could have done something to breathe life into this film. He has a wonderful oddball cast but he doesn't seem to know how to free them up to be the true weirdos that we want to see. He doesn't give us any unusual camera angles or strange activities to compel us. Wacks seems out of his league here. He directs the film like a made for TV pilot. What little life the film might have he totally obliterates with his mainstream approach to directing. This film is not funny. It's not even weird. It's not dark or bizarre. One is stretching the truth to even call it off- kilter.

"Ed and His Dead Mother" may have hoped to gather some recognition as a cult picture. It might have hopped to become some sort of American underground classic. Instead it has become a pay cable perennial because the media conglomerates that run those networks were probably able to pick it up for multiple showing for a mere pittance. You'll probably see it running for years on pay cable movie channels. Keep in mind that it's always in the overnight slot because the film is merely filler. Fodder on the pay cable food chain.

In the final analysis, "Ed and His Dead Mother" just lays there.

Note: Music by Mason Daring. Director of Photography is Francis Kenny.

Filmed in Manning, Iowa. The film also mentions Mason City and Ames.

The character played by Jonathan Gries is called Rob Sundheimer. The final credit in the film reads "Rob Sundheimer: Dead but not forgotten." What's that all about?

Review written in 1995

Report Card Script: F Acting: C+ Cinematography\Lighting: C Special Effects\Make Up: D Music: C Final Grade: F

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