Mother Schmuckers (Fils de plouc)

Mother Schmuckers attempts to present its gross-out comedy credentials from the offset. Within the film’s first two minutes, one of the story’s hapless protagonists samples the taste of cooked dog crap, in a presumed homage to John Waters’ Pink Flamingos. Gross-out? Check. Comedy? Well – they probably did their best, but there’s only a finite amount of enjoyment that can be wrung out of people’s genitals (and various other body parts) being subjected to unfortunate accidents. 

Issachar (Maxi Delmelle) and Zabulon (Harpo Guit, also the movie’s co-director) are two brothers living in a cramped flat in Brussels with their mother Cachemire (Claire Bodson). When they lose her beloved dog (although it’s more that they tied him up somewhere and forgot about it), they must get him back or face the consequences. However, the repercussions couldn’t be any worse than their current redundant existence.

The key issue with Mother Schmuckers is that Issachar and Zabulon have about as much charm as the aforementioned dog crap. While audiences might be waiting for some explanation as to their absurd, destructive ways (perhaps an undiagnosed antisocial personality disorder?), all that’s offered is that they are simply morons. There could conceivably be some amusement to be had from watching the pair barrelling from one set piece to another, culminating in something that could charitably be described as a plot, but the entire matter becomes grating rather quickly. There’s also the fact that the film appears to have been shot on a camcorder while someone idly played with the zoom function.

Had the feature reigned in its most outlandish impulses, it could have had more focus, and indeed, more laughs. There really is no method to the madness. There are a couple of random chuckles to be had, but this is more of a numbers game – if the filmmakers throw enough dog crap at the wall, some of it will stick.

Oliver Johnston

Mother Schmuckers (Fils de plouc) does not have a UK release date yet.

For further information about Sundance Film Festival 2021 visit here.

Read more reviews from the festival here.

Watch the trailer for Mother Schmuckers (Fils de plouc) here: