Angus: Review By Diaigma

"Do not open if you are Superman." - Cardboard Box

Maybe you're living this now, or maybe you've moved past it, but who can forget those awkward years of adolescence? There's much to be learned, while at the same time thinking that you know everything about life. Films like this exist to give a dose of humility to such mindsets, to remind us that actions have consequences, and that people have feelings. All too often, the wisest of the lot are those who get picked on the most, for whatever "dysfunction" they have. This humorous approach to the Chris Crutcher short story truly defines what "normal" is, what it means to be brave, and shows what happens when an outcast follows their heart and harbors loving wisdom, even if the world tells them different. Boasting an underdog story for young teens (and an extra helping of Green Day), Angus is a touching slice of life, comedic and dramatic, with a tasteful lesson that anyone can digest, thanks to one of the last performances by George C. Scott.

Angus Bethune is a big kid, constantly being told by his peers that he is not "normal." With a natural talent for science and the girth for football, you'd think he'd be a welcome chum at school events, but he is the definitive fat kid, whose only friend is the class shrimp, and Melissa Lefevre, the popular girl in school, is his life-long crush. As a cruel prank, the jocks have rigged the votes for the Winter Ball, pairing Angus and Melissa as their King and Queen! Angus has a choice. He can refuse to go to the dance and be ridiculed, or go to the dance and be ridiculed in front of the girl of his dreams. With the help of his friend Troy and his grandpa (Scott), Angus takes a crash-course in charming the ladies, but will dancing with an inflatable doll really help him swoon Melissa, or is he better off going to the dreaded school dance as himself?

If it hadn't been for instant streaming, I never would have known of this enamoring little film (which somehow flew under the radar in the mid 90's for me), one with young character's who aren't afraid to speak their minds, with course language and crude humor aplenty, like a real high school! Stereotypes play a hefty role throughout (do the popular guys really wear jerseys every day?), and unpleasant family matters are often brought to the table, but at the heart of Angus is one of the most difficult lessons that few ever master - self-acceptance, regardless of your faults.

George C. Scott said it best as Angus' narcoleptic Grandpa. "As for what anybody else thinks, always remember these words and live by them: 'SCREW'EM!'" This is the famous Patton actor, so imagine him saying that. There's a surprising banquet of talent besides the late Mr. Scott, like Kathy Bates, James Van Der Beek, and Ariana Richards (that one teenage girl from Jurassic Park). The acting is fresh and fluid, unlike stiff "teens" that we presently see in film.

An even pace carries true throughout the main course of Angus, with a cheer-inducing climax that delivers a robust speech after he takes to heart the wisdom of a washed up old man. The thing is, that little word does ring true in everyday life. So what if you're the oddball? So what if your underwear goes up the flagpole (and looks larger than the flag)? You're a good person, you're valuable, and you deserve your moment, dammit! So don't mind what other people think.

The flaws are few, but the film is well cut, captured with standard cinematography in an ambiguous location somewhere "aboot" Minnesota where the climate befits the fall months. Even product placement has a spot here and there - but for Haagen-Dazs - I'll let it slide.

Angus is very much a modern fairytale, with a sense of loss and an ending that leaves the mind to explore where the story will head off to next. Such is a film that feels like a slice of life - it never ends. Life goes one, and hopefully, this delightful surprise won't be forgotten by time.

(By Movieweb's Diaigma: resemblance to other reviews is coincidental)