The thing that separates us isn’t politics, or religion. No, the thing that divides us is our willingness to share our stories from the most secret room in your house—the bathroom. A new documentary, “Poop Talk,” presents a cast of luminaries including Adam Carolla, Rob Corddry, Nikki Glaser, Aisha Tyler, Eric Stonestreet, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Oscar nominee Kumail Nanjiani to talk about the most basic human function.
Director Aaron N. Feldman has made a movie for the kind of people who find Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo the funniest part of the festival season. Embarrassing stories about getting caught short, blaming accidents on the dog and cultural differences, abound. Nothing is off limits. Constipation, something called “hot bagging” and what it’s like to be a celebrity and have to go in public are all discussed. It’s unapologetically gross, often off-putting but occasionally insightful.
“They say you can judge a society by how it treats its prisoners,” says Corolla, “but what it s**ts into is probably a better way to do it.”
Pete Holmes, star of HBOs “Crashing,” says he enjoys privacy—the stall door all the way down to the floor—but adds that, “what makes it better and what is true progress is our ability to talk and even joke about it. That’s what I want. Give me the God-given right to say, ‘Whoa, do not go in there.”
“Poop Talk’s” subject may be universal but it is probably best suited for those who regard the poop emoji as high art.
The plot of “30 Minutes of Less” is simple. That’s a good thing because this movie burns along at such a clip there isn’t much room left for subplots, story arcs or narrative aesthetics. It’s a bottle rocket, a small but entertaining burst of bad taste and action adventure.
Very loosely on the Collar bomb case, a strange Erie, Pennsylvania bank robbery, the story involves a slacker pizza delivery boy (Jesse Eisenberg) who is kidnapped by two moronic criminals (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson) who strap a bomb to his chest and order him to rob a bank or, in ten hours, everything will go boom.
That’s it.
There’s more about a best friend (Aziz Ansari), his sister (Dilshad Vadsaria) and a psycho killer (Michael Peña) but their stories are add-ons to keep the action moving a bullet-like pace.
There’s nothing genteel about “30 Minutes or Less.” The presence of Danny McBride assures that. For me the “Eastbound & Down” star is a love-him-or-hate-him actor. There’s no middle ground. If you don’t find his brand of foulmouthed, anything-goes humor, then you’ll find very little to like here. He isn’t the star, per se, but his toxic style sets the tone for the movie.
But, if McBride turns your crank, you’ll find much to like here. “Social Network” star Eisenberg gets in a good joke about facebook, Ansari is a ball of manic energy and there’s way more wild action than you usually find in a comedy.
I guess “30 Minutes of Less” the spiritual, but foul mouthed cousin to Eisenberg’s “Zombieland,” a mix of unexpected action and jokes.
Richard hosts “Getting Interviewed About Himself” events with Neal Brennan, Nick Swardson and Chris D’Elia.
