Somewhere in time

>> Man of the Century is light but endearing

by MATTHEW HAYS

 For those who find themselves cursing the Sundance Film Festival for being overhyped and underwhelming, there's some remedy. The fest itself has become the target of criticism that, despite creator Robert Redford's intention that it remain non-Hollywood, it has become too beholden to studio market demands.

 Thus the fest's own remarkable success has led to a series of offshoots, including the Slamdance and Slumdance Festivals, held concurrently with Sundance but featuring material either rejected or simply never submitted to the famous Utah shindig.

 And last year's Slamdance did deliver something indie, off-the-wall and unique enough to be worthwhile. Adam Abraham's directorial debut, Man of the Century, is a quirky little concept comedy, a notion that could easily have popped out of the head of Woody Allen.

 In the film's time-warp universe, a rather verbose reporter for New York's Sun-Telegram appears to have popped out of the '20s and into the final year of the 20th century. He dates a modern girl, tries to report on a modern world, all the while clearly not fitting in. He still talks about getting "scoops," won't make a move on his girlfriend (they've only been dating a month) and unleashes a non-stop, hilarious array of good-golly-gosh-gee dialogue that the screenwriters clearly had a field day coming up with.

 The fish-out-of-water concept isn't exactly new, but Abraham infuses the film with enough endearing silliness, snappy plot twists and colourful characters that Man of the Century somehow works. It's a film that's dripping with affection for the '20s, or rather the filmic version of the decade. (It's difficult to believe, for example, that a reporter operating in New York in that era wouldn't have any understanding of the concept of homosexuality--still, the gag works here.)

 The film simply wouldn't fly, however, if it weren't for Gibson Frazier in the lead as reporter Johnny Twennies (Frazier also cowrote the screenplay). His boisterous enthusiasm, constant state of naivete and chirpy optimism could have been unendingly irritating in the wrong hands. But Frazier makes his character strikingly believable--no small feat, in a film as otherworldly as Man of the Century. :

 

Man of the Century opens Friday, March 10 at the Cinema du Parc