A Sasquatch family wanders through the woods in Sasquatch Sunset, a movie that simultaneously holds your attention while making you wonder why did anyone waste their time making this movie?
From the writers and directors of the excellent Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, Sasquatch Sunset for some reason stars Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg as fully unrecognizable Big Foots, who spend their days grunting, pissing, and occasionally fucking. What convinced these two recognizable stars to commit to a project that will garner them absolutely no acclaim and presumably required more time in makeup than David and Nathan Zellner spent writing the film’s screenplay, if such a screenplay exists, is beyond me.
To the Zellners’ credit, there is something alluring about the whole thing; the movie, which so easily could have gone off the rails, does manage to hold your attention. “Captivating” isn’t the right word, nor is “entrancing.” But there is a serenity to the picture, and a dedication to achieving what they achieved that merits respect.
And yet, it’s hard to say this wasn’t a complete waste of time for me, the filmmakers, the cast, and the crew. Who’s going to watch this movie? Why would someone watch this movie? What could the Zellners, Riley Keough, and Jesse Eisenberg have done instead that would have been more rewarding, at least to the audience?
Sasquatch Sunset is not without its positives, but this Big Foot montage doesn’t justify its existence.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.
