Woody Harrelson and Kristen Stewart star in Quentin Dupieux's latest absurdist comedy, Full Phil. The film follows Phil, a harried industrialist, and his daughter, Madeleine, as they embark on a trip to Paris. However, their plans are soon complicated by a meddlesome hotel employee, Paris protests, and Phil's inexplicably expanding girth.
The premise of the film revolves around Phil's inability to control his emotions, which leads to his girth expanding. This, in turn, fuels his paranoia, as he is constantly being spied on by the hotel employee, who is convinced he's secretly an abuser. The film also explores the relationship between Phil and his daughter, who is preoccupied with a never-ending series of orders from room service and a fifties monster movie she can't stop watching.
One of the most notable aspects of the film is Kristen Stewart's character, who literally never stops eating. Virtually every time the camera is on her, she's either in the process of eating something or about to eat it, unless she's drinking wine. This eating habit is a metaphor for Phil's inability to hold in his emotions, as his girth expands as he eats.
The film also features a film-within-the-film, a fifties monster movie that Madeleine is obsessed with. The movie stars Tim & Eric as two scientists who dissect a fish-man, and features a cameo from Emma Mackey. While these scenes are in the vein of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, they are tedious and feel like a drag on the overall film.
Overall, Full Phil is a somewhat tedious absurdist comedy that relies on its stars to carry it. While Harrelson and Stewart seem to be having a blast, the one-joke premise wears thin fast. The film is okay when it focuses on the Paris portion, but the lengthy Tim & Eric scenes feel like a drag on the overall film.
In my opinion, Full Phil is a missed opportunity. While it has its moments, it feels a little too tossed off to recommend. The film's reliance on its stars to carry it, rather than its premise, is a weakness. The film's running time, at seventy-eight minutes, is also a bit too long for its own good.
Despite its flaws, Full Phil is a fascinating exploration of absurdist comedy and the relationship between fathers and daughters. It raises questions about the nature of emotions and the impact they can have on our lives. The film's use of food as a metaphor for emotions is particularly intriguing, and the film's reliance on its stars to carry it is a testament to their talent and chemistry.
