Ex-Drummer (2007)

Marking as far a step away from the big budget, mass market gloss of Tron comes this rather obscure Flemish film about a group of 'handicapped' musicians who seek out a well known music journalist to become their drummer. To their surprise he agrees, and what follows is one of the most brutal, disturbing and bizarre films I've seen in a long time. Straight up the first thing to say is that this is a dark angry snarl of a film. Like the untempered music that the band put out this is a dizzying vision of the broken and impoverished side of Belgian society that is unafraid to insult and offend as many people as possible. From the lead singer, whose world view is so twisted the he is physically seen pacing around his ceiling at home, ranting and raving inbetween his random and brutal attacks on local women, to the drug addict guitar player whose junkie wife neglects his young daughter, there is barely a likeable character in the piece and the filmmakers are not afraid in the slightest to show the absolute worst of these people. What is interesting is the way the well off and more centered journalist that joins the band, winds up being arguable the worst of them. His descent into the darkness comes at the expense of the others, his distaste at their behaviour and lives manifests in some horrific ways towards the back end of the film.

Stylistically this is an impressively put together and confident film. From the subject matter to some of the events in the film it seems clear that first time director Koen Mortier has absorbed influences from Gaspar Noe to Danny Boyle's Trainspotting and yet managed to make the film feel unique and consistent. It wallows in the depravity of the characters, and yet never totally demonises them, they are hard to like but never feel inhuman or without motivation. There are some neat visual tricks to the film as well, but despite all that and a great soundtrack it is difficult to recommend the film. It is a tough watch, as extreme in places as any film I've seen and while there are plenty of elements in the film that could be marked as being darkly, blackly comic it takes a certain kind of person to appreciate that.

The acting throughout is top notch though, each actor fully inhabiting their role in the film, and the pacing and editing and great as well, it is a film with a very specific pace and rhythm that compliments the story. Overall it's hard to deny this is an impressive film on many levels, but it's utter lack of humanity and uncompromising characters will test most viewers. As an experience it is one that has stuck with me since I watched it and has to be commended as such, but I still wouldn't say that I especially enjoyed the film. For those looking for something very different and challenging then there are few films out there as effective as Ex-Drummer.