We Are the Freaks, a rather pretentious and self-indulgent British comedy, starts off with the main character walking down the street talking into camera about the things he hates, from films that talk to camera (seriously…), teen movies where the misfits come out on top and Margaret Thatcher. Because it simply wouldn’t be a dejected youth movie without directly complaining about all the things that bug them, now would it?
The plot, such as it is, follows Jack (Jamie Blackley), a would-be student as he works a temporary job while awaiting word back about his University acceptance. He embarks on a night out with his friends, who include the eccentric Chunks (Sean Teale) and Parsons (Mike Bailey), and we follow the various levels of trouble they get into.
It’s the type of film where characters drive around in a car all night, spouting quirky and offbeat dialogue that attempts at something insightful but just comes off as pompous. It doesn’t help that the characters are so thinly written, from the everyman lead whose job is supposed to be to make us feel related to what’s going on, to the eccentric drug-dealer whose a bit of an asshole but still loveable all the same. Are former youths of the early ’90s supposed to see themselves in these people?
The humour is frequently juvenile, crass and even offensive in places (namely when it comes to the mentally handicapped younger brother of Jack’s love interest). That might have been forgiven had it actually been hilarious as it was intended when all it really delivers is the odd laugh here and there, mostly coming from Michael Smiley’s unpredictable nutcase Killer Colin, who is about the only memorable thing in an otherwise curiously bland film.
We Are the Freaks is not without its chucklesome moments but mostly it’s a smarmy and pretentious affair with a know-it-all attitude, derivative style and uninteresting characters. The worst of it is that there is ultimately no point to it whatsoever, summed up by a insultingly uncaring final line, as we follow these group of self-involved young adults complaining and mucking about for 80 minutes. Avoid.
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