Winona Ryder and Joseph Fiennes were once upon a time destined for Hollywood stardom. Each made much-talked-about movies, made the cover of People magazine and then sort of faded off into relative obscurity.
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They didn't quit acting, but they're not the A-list stars they were expected to become.
It's nice to rediscover two forgotten talents like these, as is the case with the DVD of 2006's indie "The Darwin Awards.”
Fiennes portrays Michael Burrows, a geeky investigator with the San Francisco Police Department with a fascination for the Darwin Awards, a Web site that hails those who "accidentally kill themselves in really stupid ways.” That hobby, paired with Burrows' incredible skill at solving mysterious deaths, is offset by his repulsion to blood.
In police work, fainting at the sight of a bloody crime scene is generally frowned upon, no matter how brilliant the investigator.
One such weak moment leads to Burrows' dismissal from the police force. But he soon discovers his talent is a potential money-maker for a large life insurance company. But with his quirky nature and questionable background, Burrows is given a probationary stint during which he is teamed with an experienced investigator (Ryder as Siri) to look at crazy death cases that have an insurance payout pending.
"The Darwin Awards” is a funny, good-natured road trip/romantic comedy that somehow remains on the sunny side despite the portrayal of several bloody (and stupid) deaths. And the victims aren't nameless actors and actresses; they include cameos by the likes of D.B. Sweeney, Robin Tunney, Chris Penn, Juliette Lewis, Lukas Haas, Nora Dunn, David Arquette, Josh Charles and Julianna Margulies. A host of other faces better known among indie fans rounds out the cast.
The DVD's special features, sadly, are limited to a fairly routine "making of” feature and clips of interviews with the film's performers. Those who share Burrows' queasiness with blood might want to skip this film. But if you remember just how good Ryder and Fiennes were in their heyday, "The Darwin Awards” demonstrates they're still at the top of their game.
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