This past weekend I had the absolute pleasure of viewing the directorial debut of one of my favorite writers and actors (and now director), Mr. Charlie Day, with his film, Fool’s Paradise (2023). Day has been in show business since the early 2000s but did not make a breakthrough until his TV show with Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005). He writes and acts in what I believe to be genuinely one of the greatest and funniest shows ever created. When I heard that he was going to hop in the director’s chair for the first time, I was going to make sure I was the first in line to see if he could carry the magic that he had brought to television over to the silver screen of the cinema. Let me tell you, we are witnessing a very special and one-of-a-kind talent in Charlie Day.

Fool’s Paradise is one of the most unique films that I have ever seen. It is a timeless satire of Hollywood that features many classic tropes and a loaded cast from top to bottom. Some of the names attached to this film include the late Ray Liotta, Ken Jeong, Jason Sudeikis, John Malkovich, Kate Beckinsdale, Jason Bateman, and Adrien Brody. It’s possible this film falls into the realm of being too niche for the general public. There are a ton of Hollywood references that make even the most devoted cinephile think for a second. However, even if you do not have an unhealthy obsession with movies (like myself), it is still a wildly entertaining movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire ninety-eight minutes of its runtime. 

One of the defining characteristics of Day as an actor is his voice. He once stated it sounded “as if a kindergartener smoked cigarettes.” In this film, his voice is not present at all. His Chaplin-esque choice is a very bold move, but it works so well. Instead, his voice can be heard through the interactions that he has with the many other characters that are in the film. Day’s character, Latte Pronto, is a man with the mind of a preschooler and has lost the ability to speak. He is tossed out of a mental institution by the state and right onto the streets of sunny Los Angeles. His character is the driving force for the plot, but he never makes any decisions as an active protagonist. Rather, he is completely passive while the other characters make the decisions around him and for him. 

In the world of screenwriting, I would argue that this is a big no-no. How could a film work if its plot revolves around a character who does not talk and does not make any active decisions for himself? Somehow, his ability to take all the agency away from the main character works brilliantly. While watching the film, I realized that to enjoy it fully, I had to fully lean into the satire of it all. It is not a normal film. The plot does lack a punch and could easily lose viewers. However, what is so evident within the movie is how much Day loves films, the cinema, and everything Hollywood. It is a love letter to all things movies.

As a self-proclaimed cinephile, these kinds of movies are some of the best kinds. I was able to sit back in the theater and witness other fellow cinephiles’ love for films, how they viewed them, and how they made them feel. The movie lets us inside the mind of Day and how he feels towards movies so that we can laugh and empathize alongside him. I do not think this movie will click with everyone, but it is a very sweet story that recognizes the true power and beauty of films as well as the history of Hollywood and filmmaking. 

Review Courtesy of Wade Davis