Scotland, PA.

Rating:
Summary: Scotland, Pa is A OK!
Review: Scotland, Pa is a modern view of Shakespeare's MacBeth. In saying this, the watcher must understand that Scotland isn't exactly what Shakespeare had in mind, yet it is a sassy, imaginative, outstanding version of the classic work.
Creatively portrayed, "Mac" (short for 'McBeth', not 'MacBeth') is a young man working at 'Duncan's' fast food joint. He feels underappreciated at his job, as most do, especially when he wife, Pat McBeth, is continuously reminding him of just how undervalued he is.
James LeGros, director and star, draws fascinating parallels between the antique MacBeth and the new age Scotland. In Scotland, Mac throws out a couple of obnoxious teens about to cause of food fight at Duncan's. This is supposed to simulate MacBeth's heroic battle fight in the beginning of the book. Another replication would be of the Weird Sisters. In the book, there are three witches prophesying MacBeth's future. LeGros' vision changes the witches into three pot smoking teenagers (one being Andy Dick). The idea was very creative, I must say, and it really works. Mac accidentally stumbles upon the high-as-a-kite kids at a mysterious carnival and upon entrance to a fortune telling booth, he receives stories of his future.
The fabulous creation of Scotland is made possible by an all star cast. The director casted himself as Joe "Mac" McBeth, and did a wonderful job. He really was able to recreate MacBeth's emotions throughout the work. ER's Maura Tierney portrayed "Pat McBeth", or Lady MacBeth. Her charismatic performance enhanced the movie's carriage. Tierney particularly shined during the scenes where she thought there were burn marks on her body, caused at the scene of Duncan's murder. Crazed and pathetic, Tierney carries Ms. McBeth strongly until the end where she severs her own hand.
Scotland begins to climax once Banquo realizes the mischief the McBeth's are creating. Banquo begins to point the finger at Mac, Mac notices, and shoots Banquo. After piecing evidence together very, very slowly, Lieutenant McDuff has a final showdown with Mac, where, as the book and movie coincide, Mac falls to his death.
LeGros' fabulously done version of MacBeth is definitely worth watching. I highly recommend it to all, regardless of any previous knowledge of MacBeth. One could certainly go in, never having read MacBeth before, and completely understand what was going on. For those who have read MacBeth before, it is a great way to further your understanding of the classic book, and to see a great twist in LeGros' vision. Scotland, Pa is well worth the trip.

Rating:
Summary: Lay on, Lieutenant McDuff
Review: Scotland, Pa. is a brilliantly weird adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth; you don't have to know Shakespeare to enjoy this dark comedy but it helps (and does a lot to explain just how a movie as strikingly odd as this ever got made). Forget kingdoms, wars, vassals, and all that jazz; the kingdom to be won here is a burger joint in early 1970s Scotland, Pennsylvania. Norm Duncan (James Rebhorn) sets out to prove he can sell more than just doughnuts by opening a fast food restaurant, which he hopes to bequeath to his son Malcolm. Among Duncan's employees are Joe "Mac" McBeth (James LeGros) and his wife Pat (Maura Tierney), short-order cook and waitress, respectively. Mac is, in all honesty, a fairly stupid, unappealing loser, while Pat is a hot little number indeed with ambition and a perverted sense of justice. Tierney's eerie resemblance to Jennifer Aniston kept me fascinated through the first half of the movie, at which point my growing disappointment was finally transformed into respect and enjoyment. Anyway, Pat is pretty disgusted when - thanks to the McBeths, the current manager is sent packing - Duncan names his son Malcolm, who hates both his father and the fast-food joint, manager over her husband, who has always had "good ideas" about improving the place. Duncan makes the mistake of telling the McBeths his revolutionary idea that will transform the entire fast-food industry, at which point Pat sets her hapless husband on a course of lies and murder. Mac is also inspired to act by a group of stoned hippies and their magic eight ball telling him that he will succeed in his criminal endeavors. Soon thereafter, the McBeths have bought the joint for a song from Malcolm and set about living the lives they thought they deserved long ago, suffering in the process no more than a burn on the hand of the lovely lady (those deep fryers are going to throw grease, you know, especially when something as big as a human head plops down in them).

Naturally, problems soon arise. Lieutenant McDuff (played fabulously by Christopher Walken) is sent to aid the inept local police in the murder investigation. Friends begin to pose "problems," so naturally those who pose a threat have to be dealt with. Pat soon begins to lose control over her still hopelessly inept yet more forceful husband, and she resorts to unleashing a barrage of ointments and such on her burned hand while Mac goes out and "handles" things himself. By this point, mid-way through the film, I was thinking this movie was a big disappointment and basically just stupid. It all came together soon thereafter, though, due largely to the brilliant performances of Walken and Tierney. The aspects of Shakespeare's play that are incorporated into the plot are numerous and impressive, in a really weird sort of way, and the ending comes off amazingly well. I think a little more plot exposition on the part of Pat's character would have made things even better, but this movie definitely won me over in the end.

As I said, you don't need any in-depth knowledge of Macbeth in order to understand and enjoy this movie, which is incidentally accompanied by a pretty rocking soundtrack featuring Bad Company and a few other rocker groups from the early 1970s. Some of the more out-there aspects of the story, such as the stoned weirdoes standing in for the three "witches," may not make a lick of sense to the Shakespeare-deprived mind, but the quirkiness and overall atmosphere of the film should have a certain appeal to all of those who enjoy letting their minds wander slightly off the beaten path from time to time. I should warn you that Andy Dick appears in the film as one of the stoned weirdoes; had I known Andy Dick was in this movie, I would probably have never watched it, but mercifully his appearances are short and bearable, and his very presence can be subsumed by one's fascination with the incredible performances of Walken and Tierney.

Rating:
Summary: They nailed it!
Review: Shakespeare's "MacBeth" is retold here in 1970's Pennsylvania. No detail of the story is left out. Best of all it is HILARIOUS. The performances here from James Le Gros, Maura Tierney, Christopher Walken, Andy Dick and the rest are phenomenal. James and Maura as the McBeths hit on every nuance of their characters without all the exposition of Shakespeare. I rented this film on a whim, and was online buying it before it was over. It is quite simply one of the best films I have seen in a long time.

Rating:
Summary: They nailed it!
Review: Shakespeare's "MacBeth" is retold here in 1970's Pennsylvania. No detail of the story is left out. Best of all it is HILARIOUS. The performances here from James Le Gros, Maura Tierney, Christopher Walken, Andy Dick and the rest are phenomenal. James and Maura as the McBeths hit on every nuance of their characters without all the exposition of Shakespeare. I rented this film on a whim, and was online buying it before it was over. It is quite simply one of the best films I have seen in a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Take a Chance
Review: Skiing at Sundance is a waste of time. Listening to the attempt at political rhetoric coming out of Sundance is damaging to the weaker-willed individual. Sundance-winning side projects of accredited actors and actresses can be entirely rewarding.

This movie is loosely based upon Macbeth, but don't expect Macbeth. It is not Macbeth. This movie is entitled "Scotland, PA." Nowhere within either half of the title can you find the word "Macbeth," nor is it subtitled "Just Like Macbeth." Once over this hurdle, you can sit back and enjoy the Christopher Walken hilarity. Small kids in the family? Send them into the living room. Maura drops f-bombs as though they were slowing her down.

If your goal is to avoid a film in which
1) the world has to be saved
2) a streetwise kid learns a lesson about life
or
3) rapping animals,

pick up Scotland, PA.

Rating:
Summary: Hillarious retelling of Shakespeare's MacBeth
Review: The indie film Scotland PA, is a fantastic retelling of MacBeth as a black comedy set at a fast food restaurant in the 1970's. Full of laughs, wonderful actors and great music, this film should satisfy just about anyone, not just the indie film crowd.

What is particularly great about it is how it sticks close to the original story of William Shakespeare's MacBeth. Well, as close as it can being set in the 70's. Instead of a husband and wife team plotting to take over the throne, the McBeth's in Scotland PA (which stands for the small town of Scotland in Pennsylvania) take over a greasy fast-food restaurant to turn it into the first drive-through in existence. You can already tell it's great fodder for dark comedy.

The story has big laughs at every twist of the plot. Some fall flat, but most are laugh-out-loud funny. But what's even better is the great characterizations the film's cast brings out. Christopher Walken is fantastic as the detective McDuff assigned to solving the murders in town. The McBeth's are also portrayed wonderfully, but all the supporting cast are equally as interesting and three-dimensional. Now that's rare, even in well-produced black comedies.

Scotland PA should be checked out by anyone with a slightly twisted sense of humor, if not owned as a permanent part of their DVD collection. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Shakespear goes fast food
Review: The one similarity everyone who reviewed this movie missed is it's striking similarity to the Cohen Brother's classic FARGO. Sure enough when I viewed the special features the director did mention that FARGO was a big influence for him in making this wonderfully dark and funny film.

I really dig this movie. Like many of the reviewers, I rented it on a whim not expecting much. After all, I live in PA so what the heck let me check out this film about a town in my home state (I've actually seen signs stating the miles to Scotland). Was I ever in for a pleasant surprise. The casting was excellent, the script nothing short of brilliant, and the acting was supurb. Add a soundtrack of Bad Company playing in the backgroud, three stoned withches, Chris Walken and you have yourself a modern day classic. If you are an action movie fan, like XXX and such, keep steppin this one isn't for you. If you liked Movies like Fargo and A Simple Plan, then step into the diner. Pat and Mac are serving up french fried murder. The sides are a couple of frame ups, secondary murders, a persistant detective (Walken) that is as bothersome to the guilty parties as gasburger residue at 2AM, two brothers, one who just wants to rock, and one who is gay, and a host of town residents each with their own quirks. There is even a dim wit deputy type thrown in for good measure.

Will Pat and Mac get away with their vile evil deeds? Will Walken as the persistant detective serve them their just deserts? I aint telling. You just have to see for yourself, and make sure you bring some sutures, cause your side will split with laughter.

Rating:
Summary: SCOTLAND PA is well worth a visit.
Review: There are some that say if Shakespeare lived today he'd be a screenwriter. I don't know if that would be true, but it would be nice to speculate about it. Some proof that this might be possible comes from viewing actor/ first time writer director Billy Morrissette's (Pump up the volume) SCOTLAND, PA, a modern day reworking of MacBeth.

Set in the mid seventies SCOTLAND, PA stars James LeGros (Psycho) as Joe MacBeth a cook at Duncan's café. He the kind of guy with lots of ideas, but absolutely no drive and so people walk all over him. So when his boss Norm Duncan (James Rebhorn, Far From Heaven) uses some of them while promoting his useless son Malcolm, his wife Pat(Maura Tierney, Primary Colors), a beautiful and driven hatch's a plan. She and 'Mac' are going to [destroy] Duncan (who by the way made his fortune in Donuts (yes it's corny but I found it kind of funny)) and open up MacBeth's the first fast food drive-thru restaurant in Scotland, PA.

SCOTLAND, PA plays fast and loose with it's source material and has some really great ideas jammed packed in it. It's always fun to reinterpret Shakespeare, because his works are timeless. You can set them in the 18th century or a hundred years in the future and the characters are still real and powerful.

Maura Tierney's Lady MacBeth is phenomenal. It is a performance full of subtle nuance; of course she hatches the plan and is able to manipulate MacBeth. But there is also vulnerability about her. I wonder if she were my wife would I not follow? I'd probably do anything she said. She kind of reminds me of my fiancé, in whom I would probably kill for. That's the mark of a great femme fatale. Her performance is engaging and wonderful, and one of the best I've seen in a long time.

It's the other character's that seem understated and dull. No other performance really sticks out until Christopher Walken show's up. He portrays Lieutenant McDuff, the detective sent out to figure out just who [destroyed] Duncan. He plays the part with that certain gusto that only Walken could bring to the role. He's plays parts like these so well, he's always walking that thin line between quirky and bored and you can't help but be enchanted by him. He's really amazing.

I also enjoyed Amy Smart (Outside Providence), Andy Dick (Dude, Where's My Car?) and Timothy 'Speed' Levitch (The Crusie) as the three witches. They offer the comic relief that some points of the movie desperately needed. Sure they were a little corny and maybe a bit to zany for the film, but since the movie has a certain silly tone, it was okay with me.

First time director and writer Billy Morrissette will always hold that special place in my heart at the tough guy in Pump up the Volume. He is defiantly a fun director who has a nice visual sense. I liked how the film may have been set in the 70's and yet also felt like it could have been happening in present day. Many lesser films would have felt like the characters were at a 70's party and not like real people living at the time.

I also liked the look of the press conference as they drove in the convertible. It's was just a beautiful sequence right before the dam breaks. It pretty powerful stuff.

Scotland PA is not a brilliant reworking of the MacBeth story, but it's fun, vibrant, and Tierney and Walken are worth and hour and forty minutes. I only wish the rest of of the cast were up to snuff. All in all I recommend this movie.

SCOTLAND PA is well worth a visit.

Rating:
Summary: Great play on words
Review: This film arose out of the Sundance Film Festival and is best described as a sort of "Thelma and Louise" in "The Twilight Zone." It's good to watch, at least once.

It starts out rather quirkily funny until the first death, and then it becomes the quintessential black comedy cum tragedy. There are menacing prophetic ghosts and great double entendre playing on of words and ideas that had not yet been discovered in the wild '70s (chicken bits dipped in sauce, drive-through fast food, Duncan donuts, etc.) The moviemakers do a spiffy job of incorporating many of the major defining elements of the '70s, from the songs and clothes to the cars, on through gay teenage boys with long-haired hippie rocker wannabe brothers, to a vegetarian investigating lieutenant (Christopher Walken) and even a streaker at the end. And, thankfully, Christopher Walken is the most likeable character I've ever seen him play. (There is violence, but it certainly is not glorified and not shown in detail. There is quite a bit of cursing, especially by the lead female character, but it just fits for her and is defining for her character.)

It's a very, very well done spicy, funny tragicomedy, with good character and the very best kind of justice--poetic. See it for fun.

Rating:
Summary: Some Shakespeare remakes work, and some don't
Review: This hideous rehashing of "Macbeth" is the worst sort of example of the modernisation of Shakespeare's works. I have seen a few, and I mean, a very few modernisations (McKellan's Richard III, for example) that actually work. For the most part, modernisations simply trash the original, and this is exactly what "Scotland PA" does. The film just rips out the best part (THE LANGUAGE) and inserts some sex and inane comedy now and then.

The question I find myself asking after attempting to watch such tripe is, "why did the film maker have to pinch someone else's story?" Macbeth--the play--is practically unrecognizable in this shoddy psuedo-version of the original. There are a few references made to the original--the names of the cast, for example--which are thrown out to the audience all too obviously--so that we practically trip over them. The three witches were Tweedledum and Tweedledee with a fortune teller thrown in for good measure. Did anyone who was involved in the making of this travesty actually ever read the play?.......