Rare Flix: Rubin & Ed

The original Napoleon Dynamite.  Today's Film is Rubin & Ed, a 1991 Film Starring Crispin Glover.  It is not that well-known, but it sure is weird!  The Story is about two men- guess their names- who have nothing in common, but find a bond between them.  Actually, they don't like each other one bit.  Regardless, they go on a journey to the Desert and come back changed.  The Film was Written and Directed by Trent Harris, a man you'd know from...well, probably nothing.  He's done 9 Films, but I doubt that most of you would know them.  Sorry, Trent.  The Film is most notable for featuring Crispin Glover on Letterman as the Character in 1987.  Nine out of ten people that have seen the Clip- which was even featured during Letterman's final run on the Show- likely have no idea that there was a reason for it.  Crispin Glover isn't crazy, he was...actually, he may still be crazy.  He at least had a reason for what he did, even if the Film was delayed quite a bit, making his appearance seem all the stranger.  Is this one actually any good?  To find out, read on...

Ed has led a rough, but boring life.  He joins a group that sells Real Estate in order to prove his worth to his ex-wife (Karen Black).

Rubin is a weirdo.  I mean, do you need me to say that after you see the picture?

Rubin and Ed meet up, but the former tricks the latter into driving out into the Desert to bury his cat.  He's kept it frozen for about a week, since he doesn't have a car.

Their journey is not a good one, as they run out of gas, have to survive the heat and are lost for a long time.

They continue to not get along, as Rubin is kind of a dick.  On top of that, he does things like drinking the sweat left in his shoe or the water that was once the ice keeping his dead cat defrosted.

He's still better than Divine though.

They eventually run into the ex-wife and Ed manages to stand up for himself around her.

Before they return for the Meeting that Ed has been recruiting for, they do a little bit of work on the company car that they had been using.

It all comes to a head at the Meeting as Ed realizes that he doesn't need pointless slogans to prove his self-worth.  He leaves with Rubin and things don't end well for his former Boss.

Curiously, the Film is dedicated to Peter Boyle, who was originally in the Hessman part before something came up.  I guess it was an amicable thing.  The End.

Odd, odd stuff.  What else can you say?  A social outcast tricks a poor, middle-aged man into driving him to the Desert to bury his cat.  He's only doing so since his Mother took away his boom box until he would do so.  He doesn't have any aspirations.  He doesn't have any goals.  He's just odd.  I suppose that there is nothing wrong with that, as long as he has something to aim for.  He doesn't, well not really.  He's kind of hard to relate to, if I'm being honest.  He has some moments where he does seem to be a real person, so that's nice.  He's mostly just a bizarre person who takes pleasure in seeing Ed unhappy.  It is hard to argue that this isn't a really daring performance- it just doesn't mean that I have to like him all that much.  The Film has a measured pace, which is probably not going to work for everyone.  All in all, it is a pretty good, if surreal Film.  If you like off-beat humor and stuff like John Waters Films, this is for you.  If you like your humor to be conventional and 'by the book,' this is not for you.  I'll leave you with the reason why this will all look familiar now...

Next up, a trip back in time to a WWII-related Horror Film.  An iconic Actor is back in his iconic Role, even if copyright law requires a name change.  Stay tuned...