Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Netflix Dumpster Dive! After my hiatus, we’re finally back. It’s been a long holiday season, but I’m ready to get back into this stronger than ever.

After my break, I didn’t want to come back to Netflix Dumpster Dive with another horror movie. I wanted to look at something fresh, especially after the horror fest that was this year’s Halloween post.

I took to the comedy tab on Netflix and went into my Top Picks list. I wanted something uplifting, but not too goofy. That’s when I stumbled across a movie called American Hero.

Looking at the description for this 2016 mockumentary, one might assume that this is a straight ripoff of Will Smith’s Hancock. Because of this, I decided to give it a look. The last time I thought a movie was a ripoff, I wound up with They’re Watching, and was pleasantly surprised by its originality and narrative (despite its lackluster ending).

American Hero marks the second time a movie has not only shattered my plagiarism expectations, but given me an all around great film-watching experience. This movie is one of my favorites I’ve done for this review series. It’s interesting and new, and funny while still being able to tug on my heartstrings.

What American Hero does that Hancock didn’t is that it grounds its protagonist, Melvin, in a way that John Hancock was not. Melvin isn’t weak based on circumstance, he’s not a god. He’s a man with one superpower, and while he’s pretty handy with it, he can’t do anything. This whole movie hinges on the fact that Melvin is not a fallen god or angel, he’s a normal guy whose life has crashed to the ground.

Because Melvin, and his supporting cast, such strong characters, it’s easy to suspend the understandable disbelief behind the documentary portion of the movie. There’s an obvious point where there’s just no way a cameraman would be okay with the situation at hand, but the story and the characters are so perfect that it feels like nitpicking to call it out more than in this short paragraph.

When it comes to comedy in American Hero I was on the fence because it does fall into the Comedy category, and it does have some good humorous beats, but the overall film is more drama than laughs. Most of the humor within is dry, and for someone like me, that’s great. For someone who’s looking for a movie that is searching for a gut-busting roar of laughter, they may find themselves disappointed by the end of the film.

What this movie has that They’re Watching did not is a narratively and emotionally satisfying conclusion. What I had hoped for from the first ten minutes of the movie finally happened and it was great. It jerked the tears right out of me, and left me feeling light and fulfilled. I can say that it’s one of those endings that you can usually predict in this type of movie, but one that makes you feel so good that you just can’t knock on it.

American Hero is a movie that I wasn’t aware I wanted to see until I was watching it, and then I found myself completely and totally engulfed in it. What it lacks in hard originality, it makes up for with a fresh, entertaining style and lineup of characters, and a narrative that satisfies its consumer from front to back. I’d recommend this to anyone with a love for dry humor, more straight-played mockumentaries, and truly happy endings.

Overall Personal Rating: 8.5/10

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-Vincent

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©2017 Vincent C. Russo. All Rights Reserved.
I claim no rights to any film mentioned here. All rights to these films and the images used go to their respective owners. This post is intended for review only, and constitutes fair use.