Martin Bradley Todd Solondz obviously doesn't like people. If he did he wouldn't give us characters as thoroughly unlikable as Abe and Miranda, make them the leads in his disquieting, fantasy 'rom-com' "Dark Horse" and then set them up for our ridicule, (the 'comedy' comes from how much we laugh at these characters rather than with them). Abe is fat, unattractive and obnoxious with it and Jordan Gelber plays him superbly. Miranda is a would-be beauty who has let herself go; let herself go to the extent that she is prepared to marry Abe, a man she doesn't even like let alone love. Selma Blair plays her as a one-dimensional loser making her equally difficult to like. Abe lives at home with his parents, (brilliant performances from Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow), and works for his dad, though to be honest he doesn't do much work.This is typical Solondz; a miserablist, myopic vision of humanity but without the brilliance that distinguished earlier pictures like "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and "Happiness". If I describe this as a 'pathetic' picture I don't mean that it's bad. It's very well written, directed and acted, (Donna Murphy is terrific as the secretary who fuels Abe's fantasies), but it's full of people you would cross town, never mind the street, to avoid and whatever handicaps you might have yourself it makes you glad you're not like anyone up there on the screen.

the_teapot In short - it's a poor story, badly told, with poor dialogue and superficial characters. It has no real message and it doesn't go anywhere. Does that sound harsh? :)Well, it has no plot, you know - introduction/rising action/culmination/resolution, the basic elements of storytelling? It kinda stops at rising action and then gets lost.So the whole film is really just a bizarre flow of superficial exchange between inexplicably strange characters. When it begins to look like a story might be unfolding, it implodes on itself in some kind of failed attempt intrigue the viewer with a sudden switch to a dream-inside-a-dream narrative. The ambiguity of such an ending creates no intrigue. It merely underwhelms.And I have to say I feel sorry for the actors. Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow? What a waste of talent. You know the film industry is in a state when actors of such volume take on such rubbish parts. Sure, Walken has done his share of Z-production films, but this is the first one I have ever seen that made me wonder why, apart from the obvious attraction of his name, did they think he of all people should play this measly part? Not that he did a bad job at it... just... why??? What kind of casting is that!?

Tony Heck "Sweetie, we've written you off as a failure years ago." Abe (Gelber) is a toy collector and a slacker. In his 30's and still living at home with his parents and working for his father (Walken) he is not always happy. He meets Miranda (Blair) at a party and instantly falls in love. He asks her out once then proposes marriage. When a series of events begins Abe's life takes a strange turn. Having never seen a movie by Solondz before I was expecting this to be a comedy. I couldn't have been more wrong. The movie is OK but it's pretty depressing and Gelber does a really good job in this you really feel for his character. Selma Blair also does a pretty good job and they was she plays you are as confused about her as Abe is, which is probably the point. The acting really drives and helps the movie but to me the movie is just to slow moving to make it a high recommend. If you like Solondz movies then you will like this I'm guessing. To me it was OK but hard to get into. Overall, not bad but slow moving and I did get bored a little, up until the end. Which I was not expecting. I give it a C+.

meeza Writer-Director Todd Solondz's latest chapter on depicting duds is "Dark Horse". Solondz continues to giddy-up on those who emotionally struggle while others intensify their misery to worsen with their harsh comments. "Dark Horse" stars Jordan Gelber as Abe, a 30-something overweight slacker who still lives with his wealthy parents and also works at a real estate corporation owned by his papa. Not-Honest Abe is lazy in his job, egotistical in his mentality, and charmless in his persona. He also has a huge toy collection; most of them collector's items from the 80's. Anyways, I don't think this "dark horse" of a man-child will get a spectacular bid by the female population for companionship. Abe meets in a wedding a pretty but melancholy woman named Miranda. Miraculously enough or unbelievably enough (take your pick), Miranda takes a liking to Abe and even accepts his wedding proposal. Maybe, Mr. Abe the Dark Horse is hung as a "dark horse". Anyways, moving right along; Abe's mother Phyllis continues to smother him and treat him like a 10 year old, I wonder if she is Cuban? Abe's father Jackie on the other hand has little confidence in Abe due to Abe's lackadaisical ways, and even considers firing him. Abe's brother Richard is a successful good-looking doctor who Abe despises and has a rocky relationship with. Can jealousy be part of that sibling chaos? You think? "Dark Horse" gets out to a rousing start with Solondz' successfully running the "Dark Horse" with sharp writing and direction. But then towards the third act of the film, Solondz derails the "Dark Horse" on the wrong track with unnecessary stale scenes that makes the "Dark Horse" lose it by much more than a nose. I thought the acting of the film was strong. The Gelber Big-Baby (sorry Jordan) Jordan Gelber excelled in his starring performance as Abe. Selma Blair was all there with her effort as Miranda. Veteran thespians Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow were straight as an arrow with their solid work as Abe's parents, Phyllis and Jackie. And Justin Bartha was a believable brother from the same Abe father & mother with his work as Richard. Call it Murphy's Law, but I think Solondz should have cut out completely Donna Murphy's work as a middle-aged secretary who is utilized as a "voice of reason" or in this case more "a voice of reality"; I can understand what Solondz was trying to do, but the whole concept lacked originality mostly due to Murphy's stale performance. "Dark Horse" will not be a dark horse at the next Academy Awards. But I still think you should get on your high horse, and give it a ride. *** Average