If a film begins with a suicide, chances are, it won't be the feel-good movie of the year. But WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY is surprisingly sweet and funny even as it proudly features a dark streak that lives up to its title. After a rough breakup, Zia (Patrick Fugit) decides to off himself by slashing open his wrists. Instead of waking up in heaven or hell, Zia arrives in a bland world that looks a lot like the one he just left, though with far less color, life, and--obviously--happiness. In this afterlife reserved for suicides, no one can smile, and the sky is a starless void. But when Zia hears that his ex-girlfriend (Leslie Bibb) has killed herself and lives in his world, he sets out on a road trip to find her. Joined by Russian musician Eugene (Shea Whigham) and pretty hitchhiker Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon), Zia crosses the desolate landscape and encounters a variety of strange characters. With the help of Mikal, Zia realizes that maybe his ex-girlfriend isn't really what he's looking for.

Most films don't stray from prescribed genres or simple plots, but this dark comedy from director Goran Dukic is audacious in its originality. Dukic adapted Etgar Keret's short story "Kneller's Happy Campers" into a film that succeeds on every level. His cast, particularly Fugit and a brilliant Tom Waits in a supporting role, is worthy of the excellent material and blackly comic dialogue. Though it could be described as a romantic comedy, this film is far closer to ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND than SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. WRISTCUTTERS's soundtrack is also something to sing about with several infectious tracks from Gogol Bordello and a pitch-perfect score from Bobby Johnston.

Theatrical Release - October 19, 2007 (Limited)

DVD Features:

Keep Case
Widescreen
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - Goran Dukic, Director
Deleted Scenes
Featurette - Making WRISTCUTTERS
Storyboard Comparisons

Patrick Fugit: American actor, ALMOST FAMOUS
Shea Whigham: TIGERLAND
Shannyn Sossamon: Actress, 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS (2002), WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE
Tom Waits: Singer/Songwriter/Actor
Will Arnett: Actor
Leslie Bibb: Actress
John Hawkes: American Actor, IDENTITY (2003)
Abraham Benrubi: TV/Film Actor/"Er"
Mark Junior Boone: 
Jake Busey: Actor/"Cpu"
Mikal P. Lazarev: Actor-producer, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY
Chase Ellison: American actor, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY

Goran Dukic: American Actor, DEAD DOLL (2004)

Adam Sherman: American Director, DEAD DOLL (2004)
Tatiana Kelly: Producer, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY
Mikal P. Lazarev: Actor-producer, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY
Chris Coen: Producer, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY

Goran Dukic: American Actor, DEAD DOLL (2004)

Bobby Johnston: Composer, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY

"The whole film is cracked, but in a stylish, downtown way..." -- Grade: B+
3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] dark-hued road movie that plays like Jarmusch crossed with Bergman."
"[The film] has an offbeat, absurdist charm that turns a potentially creepy conceit into an odd, touching adventure."
3 stars out of 5 -- "[The characters'] shared recognition of the comic melancholy rings true. As entertaining as it is moving, and occasionally hilarious..."
"[T]he film is tinged with a kind of thoughtful melancholy....Small outbreaks of quirky magic lighten the mood in Charlie Kaufman fashion."
4 stars out of 5 -- "It's a well-written road movie....This deadpan comedy-romance is big on quirkiness and has a big heart."