This movie truly has something for everyone: farts, poop, erections, Daniel Radcliffe's butt, farts, you name it. Honestly, it is difficult to describe what this movie even is, so I won't try too hard; it is clearly absurdist black comedy, and it is intentionally gross, but those are just the surface layers of a complicated film that is really trying to say something. I'm just... not quite sure what that thing is. I suppose ultimately it is a reflection on what is important in life (farting). And, yes, perhaps depression, and the inescapability of the darkness, and the tools at your disposal to come back out.

I watched this movie because Everything Everywhere At At Once is an absolute masterpiece of cinema, and this is the movie those guys made before it, and you can indeed see a lot of the same principles involved, but it's also totally different. That movie is itself difficult to describe to people who haven't seen it in an way that sounds compelling in the right ways, but this one is simply impossible. I am eager to see what the Daniels manage to make next and how long it takes Hollywood to ruinously corrupt their staunch refusal to Be Normal.

I recommend watching it because the performances are compelling, the absurdity is absurd, the farts are very farty, and ultimately it is just a movie that never left me feeling even slightly bored for one minute. A movie like this is why A24 is pretty important these days. You should watch it knowing as little as you possibly can about it. Also, what the fuck?

Score: 9/10

IMDb: Swiss Army Man

PS: A long time later, reposting this in 2024 on the new site, I still think about this movie a lot. Why is it so good? It deserved to come much later in my review cycle when I had a lot more words to write. It would be one of the first candidates if I ever re-reviewed movies a second time.