Full Grown Men (2006)

“On the road to adulthood some guys miss the turn.” A low-key independent road comedy filmed in Florida and directed by David Munro, Full Grown Men stars Matt McGrath as married father Alby Cutrera, a total slacker whose wife kicks him out of the house because she’s sick of this nostalgic man-child sitting around all day playing with his action figures (he favors Action Jackson by the way), eating Froot Loops and watching cartoons on TV. So Alby reluctantly packs up his action figures, travels to the home of his mentally ill mother and reconnects with childhood friend Elias Guber (Judah Friedlander). Alby had saddled Elias with an unfortunate childhood nickname, Boliche (which literally means a Cuban “pot roast”). Together these two misfits embark on a quest to visit a Disney World theme park clone in Central Florida called Diggityland. The supporting cast includes Alan Cumming, as a deranged hitchhiker and ex-Diggityland employee out for revenge; Amy Sedaris, as a friendly bartender with dreams of joining the circus one day; and Deborah Harry as a lonely ex-Weeki Wachee Springs mermaid. One of favorite scenes is when Alby gets his ass kicked by a trio of dwarf clown bouncers. I also enjoyed the scene where Alby and Elias visit the retirement community to try to sell his action figures and they meet this strange pool guy who is hitting on all the elderly ladies. Full Grown Men is definitely not for all tastes (Alby can really get on your nerves at times!) but I was thoroughly entertained by its eclectic cast and originality, as well as great use of Florida locales, including classic roadside attractions like Gatorland and Weeki Wachee Springs. As Toby Radloff in American Splendor (2003), Friedlander gave the infamous rant comparing Lewis Skolnick’s speech at the end of Revenge of the Nerds to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

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