THE WAVE: A Mixed Trip
If I told you that The Wave, a film in which Justin Long takes drugs and has one hell of a night was surprisingly profound and sweet, you’d probably laugh in my face. But here I am regardless, doing just that. It’s not that The Wave does anything particularly different or even memorable, but it does it with such conviction and style that it’s hard not to buy into its message about personal growth and change.
At the beginning of the film, Frank (Long) figures out a way to get his big, bad insurance company out of paying a hefty sum to a recent widow. This means life will fall apart for the poor family of the firefighter who died on duty, but corporate lawyer Frank will get a much needed and desired promotion. All in all, Frank is a pretty terrible guy.
After going home to his somewhat nagging wife, Frank decides to hit the town with his friend, ends up meeting a couple of pretty ladies, takes drugs and things go boom. Really big boom, because Frank discovers the next morning he can somehow bend or move time and space, confusing the poor man who has also lost his wallet. The revelation sends Frank into a journey to find his missing wallet, but also his conscience and humanity.
See, I told you would laugh in my face!
Casting The Perfect Frank
There are plenty of mistakes The Wave makes, it’s probably not going to rock anyone’s world, but it manages to craft a distinct identity of its own, just enough to set it apart from the rest of the druggy, wacky comedies floating around. A lot of this credit goes to Justin Long, who is perfect casting for Frank.
Long, much like Adam Sandler, portrays a very specific type of masculinity in all his movies. A little sleazy, a bit of a bro, but a harmless, ultimately lovable guy. He’s able to sell Frank’s initial unpleasantness without ever making him into a cartoon-y villain. Frank’s just doing his job, even if that job is destroying the lives of others by finding loopholes in contracts and policies. Frank is clearly unhappy in a loveless marriage and wants not only to let loose, but to find something that ignites passion within him again.
Sheila Vand, so perfect in A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, once again oozes mystery and is the girl of Frank’s dreams. While the film clearly uses her Persian heritage and looks to imply mystique and something slightly more exotic, Vand is delightfully no-nonsense in her approach to the role, even if the script calls her to be a very strange version of a manic pixie dream girl. Tommy Flanagan as a drug dealer is also a particularly entertaining highlight, but Donald Faison is a little disappointing. While the character of Jeff feels like a carbon copy of the actor’s iconic turn as Turk in Scrubs, it never quite clicks the same way.
A Bit Serious For A Comedy
For a comedy, The Wave doesn’t make its viewer laugh as much as it should. Director Gille Klabin and writer Carl W. Lucas seem to hope their film is much more profound that it actually is. The Wave certainly manages to tap into a zeitgeist of some sort and have much more to say than most films including people taking hallucinatory drugs, but The Wave won’t change anyone’s view of the world. The film spells out what most of us already know; don’t be an asshole and definitely don’t become a corporate lawyer, it’s bad karma.
The Wave also feels like a film so aggressively written by men, I thought I was going to spontaneously grow a pair of testicles. Frank’s wife seems to be withholding sex and nag all time and their life has become an endless cycle of disappointment. Vand’s Therese is a magical woman all men should seek to find, like a unicorn with breasts. Not a particularly nuanced way to write your women, but thankfully Long’s easy charm and likability carry the film.
Thankfully, The Wave never overstays its welcome, so the flaws never become too distracting. Klabin directs the film with a firm, but experimental grip. The narrative never becomes too weird to lose the mainstream audience, but it’s appropriately peculiar and kooky. Lana Wolverton’s editing is sharp and the changes in time and place are effective and snappy. The story moves along on a brisk pace, making The Wave a perfectly fine, if a little forgettable viewing.
The Wave: A Good Trip or A Bad Trip?
Featuring a solid turn from Justin Long, The Wave is a delightfully different drug comedy. While it may not be the most important film of the year, its messages about anyone being able to change and chasing happiness feel timely and engaging. However, maybe don’t watch this film while high. Don’t do drugs, kids.
Did you catch The Wave? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!
The Wave is out January 17th in the US.
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