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Home » Culture and Criticism

The Crushed Film Festival presents: The 24th Day

Submitted by on February 15, 2009 – 4:36 PM17 Comments

24thby John “the Couch Baron” Ramos

The Movie: The 24th Day

The Crush Object: Scott Speedman

The Story: Dan (James Marsden) is out at a bar with his hag friend (Sofia Vergara), whom he puts in a cab when Tom (Scott Speedman) invites him back to his place. After reading that sentence, I wouldn’t blame you if you’ve already sent the film to the top of your Netflix queue, but I’m sorry to have to tell you that there’s no sex on tap here — not even a kiss. What there is instead is a film that shoots for “taut psychological thriller” and lands on “Sominex on a DVD” instead.

Once Dan has been in Tom’s apartment (well, not actually his, but who cares) for a bit, he comes to realize the two of them hooked up a few years back. This is problem number one — I don’t care how hot you are (and Marsden is waaay up there), or how drunk you might have been, or how greasy Speedy’s hair is in this film (very, sadly) — there is no way you don’t remember hitting that. I mean, the eyes alone.

Anyway, soon Tom assaults Dan, takes him prisoner, and draws some of his blood to have tested. You see, Dan’s the only guy Tom’s ever been with, and Tom just found out he’s HIV-positive 24 days ago, which is where we get the film’s title. Moreover, he unknowingly gave the disease to his wife, and when she found out, she was distraught and got into a car accident that claimed her life. After that, Tom tracked down Dan and shadowed him, and upon seeing him still slutting it up without a care in the world, he made up his mind — if Dan’s blood comes back positive, Tom’s going to kill him.

Is the premise interesting? Sure, in theory, and by many accounts the stage play of the same name that’s the source material was reasonably gripping. But it’s pretty clear that director Tony Piccirillo, who also wrote the original play and the screenplay, is out of his depth in making the transition from stage to screen. From the bazillion intra-scene jump cuts, to the overacted, overdramatic, and overexposed blue flashbacks that let us in on the wife’s death, to the most incredibly random scene between Tom and some aging female barfly, the film feels like it’s at a loss in getting us from Point A to Point B in a memorable way — it’s almost like Piccirillo doesn’t trust his own material, with good reason in some instances. This isn’t to say some of the exchanges aren’t interesting, and they certainly raise some important, if not especially original, issues about sexual responsibility.

But Tom not knowing the title of The Empire Strikes Back is pretty ludicrous, and that pales in comparison to this preposterous exchange the two characters have about Charlie’s Angels and Miami Vice and Starsky And Hutch and The Love Boat and Happy Days and this metaphor about chicken and steak and ordering in a restaurant. Seriously, if you feel compelled to watch this film, just keep the remote at the ready so you can skip this part. You’ll be mad if you don’t.

The actors, for their part, try hard with the material; Speedy is pretty decent, although he doesn’t quite succeed in conveying Tom’s anger at Dan and the world deeply enough to be completely convincing. Marsden’s charm is palpable, and it’s easy to see how he gets even more play than his looks alone would buy, but ultimately he never lets us see Dan as anything but a calculating narcissist; there’s never any indication that he feels real sympathy for Tom’s condition, nor any remorse for his own part in it. I’m inclined to blame the director on both counts here, though, especially for the latter, since I have great respect for Marsden as an actor.

The Backstory: The man was Ben Covington on Felicity. That is the extent of it, and is also all I should have to tell you.

The Embarrassment Level: Other than the fact that the film is slow, this one’s not embarrassing at all — Speedman seems to be a really nice guy, and in fact, his interview here about the film is perfectly endearing, especially the part where he says he would have been up for kissing Marsden if it had been integral to the story (hear that, Somerhalder?).

John Ramos is a writer and film producer living in Los Angeles. You can reach him at couchbaron at gmail dot com.

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17 Comments »

  • Joe R says:

    Oh my GOD I hated this movie. But a very good call because no way do I see it if it doesn’t star Marsden and Speedman.

  • Alice says:

    Sigh. Ben Covington. So dreamy.

  • ferretrick says:

    I will admit that I love this movie, and I not ashamed of it.

  • Liz in Minneapolis says:

    I watched the first several episodes of Felicity, yet somehow missed that Ben’s last name was Covington.
    Now all I can think of is the Smothers Brothers’ “Ballad of Big Ben Covington.” (Wooo, oooo….)

  • Peach says:

    Dude, this whole venture is turning my Netflix list into a nightmare… not because I really want to watch the movies, but because now I’ve read enough of a recap that I NEED. TO KNOW. HOW. IT ENDS!

    Can someone out there point me to (or create) a website with the plot summaries and endings of movies?

    GAH!!!

  • Kelly says:

    Sounds like I should just watch my Felicity season 1 DVDs instead.

  • meimei says:

    Peach: The spoiler for 24th Day is posted on Moviepooper.com.

  • Hum says:

    If you’re a Speedman fan, rent My Life Without Me. He’s not in it a lot, but he’s really sweet (in a clueless guy kinda way) and he’s always hot. It’s one of my favorite movies because it has my other movie boyfriend, Mark Ruffalo, in it. Sarah Polley is really good too.

  • RJ says:

    I didn’t know this movie existed, but I do know it was done as a play several years ago in Los Angeles; Peter Berg played the Speedman role, and Noah Wyle played the Marsden role (so I guess it was also a “hospital show vs. hospital show” thing).

  • JennyB says:

    @Hum: You forgot to mention to bring the tissues. My Life Without Me is an emotional roller-coaster from beginning to end.

  • The Bloody Munchkin says:

    There’s another movie out there (whose name is escaping me) with Glenn Close in which Marsden plays a closeted homosexual in a relationship with Elizabeth Banks (I think) But ends up with a very hot Jesse Bradford instead (wasn’t it called Manhatten?, Dunno) But Hoooooot!

  • Rebecca says:

    Bloody Munchkin: It was called The Heights, and it was based in Manhattan. I only watched it for my crush (Rufus Wainwright, *sigh*, who essentially played himself). And yes, hoooooot!

  • Sandman says:

    Speedman sounds pretty mensch-y in that interview. I dunno, I think this one must rate pretty low on the embarrassment scale. (Do movies based on plays, even slightly lame ones, get some sort of arty premium maybe?) If your Speedman entry was Underworld, well, then we’d have to talk.

  • La BellaDonna says:

    (Raises hand) Underworld, right over here. First time I remember ever seeing Speedman, too. I used up all my crushiness on Michael Sheen in that, though. Loyal AND housebroken! Here, boy! Walkies!

    I’m seriously starting to wonder if I’m some kind of lowest-common-denominator in terms of Movie Audience.

  • The Bloody Munchkin says:

    @ Sandman Re: (Do movies based on plays, even slightly lame ones, get some sort of arty premium maybe?)

    Judging on Bug and Harry Connick Jr.’s involvement in it, I’ma say no. Nice try but no.

  • Sandman says:

    I saw Underworld based on the recommendation of someone I didn’t know well enough (… clearly), and I swear I didn’t realize until, like, a week ago that the Michael Sheen was even in it. Awesomepants Tony Blair from The Queen! Frost from Frost/Nixon. Is the Alpha. Lycan. Guy. I need to lie down.

    @Bloody Munchkin: I’m prepared to take your word for it, but “Harry Connick Jr.’s involvement in it” may, in fact, point out a bigger problem.

  • Sam Haley says:

    Joe R, why do you hate this movie. Personally, I like it very much.

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