A film that mixes Eighties nostalgia, fairy tale fantasy, shady industrialism and Christmas magic, Patch Town is a film that "normal" people will likely not enjoy. It's undoubtedly a weird one and you've gotta be a little eccentric yourself to get the gist of its imagination and creativity. I felt that the CGI was rather out-of-place in such a quaint and retro styled film, however it does work quite well on some occasions. And my only other complaint is that as a musical, it has corny songs popping up during the most important scenes in the story which takes away from the pace of the film. Either way, still an amazing and yet criminally underrated and obscure one.
The story follows Jon (Rob Ramsay), an overweight factory worker who lives in a housing project with his beloved wife and an illegally obtained baby, Daisy. (the film Eraserhead comes to mind). Jon used to be a doll and his "mother", Bethany (Zoie Palmer) regarded him as an imaginary friend in childhood. Jon dreams of a real life with his family in the real world, however Patch Town is controlled by Yuri (Julian Richings), a strict, standoffish and yet very depressed and forlorn man who has taken over his father's business and is the primary villain in the story. Yuri wants a family of his own just like Jon, however Yuri is ruthless and ends up deciding to have his lackey, Kenny, kidnap Bethany and her young daughter, Avery, as a surrogate family for himself. Meanwhile Jon and his wife (Stephanie Pitsiladis) hitch a ride with Sly (Suresh John), a former doll who now offers asylum to those who wish to escape. Jon attempts to get a job playing a shopping mall Santa Claus, however when he discovers that Kenny has stolen Bethany's daughter (Kayla DiVenere), he plans to rescue her and reunite with Bethany in the process.
Excellent story, scenery, soundtrack, but best of all was the acting. Ramsay is hilarious as Jon, being the kindhearted and yet naive hero hanging out of the back of a transfer truck, high on a sugar rush and shouting "CANDY!" at the top of his lungs. Suresh gives the film a dose of comic relief as Sly, a man with the personality of a shifty used car salesman but who really wants to help Bethany. Yuri was an exceptionally interesting corrupt corporate villain, however I ended up just feeling sorry for him when he starts crying and saying that all he wants is a family, and they give him electroshock memory removal. Pretty sad. Pitsiladis as Jon's loving and strong-willed 1950's-dressed wife, does an amazing acting job, and of course Palmer as Bethany, a skeptical woman who doesn't want to believe that her doll came to life, is very talented, too. Patch Town reminded me slightly of Eraserhead, and Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Its humor is based more on subtle imagery and funny quotes, which is refreshing since most films like this today are vulgar and full of sex jokes and swearing and crude humor. Patch Town might scare really little kids but it's still a film that adults and older children can both enjoy. It deserves a much better reputation and I hope it gets it.
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