New on DVD: Terri ⁰

by IHF Ryan • Comedy, Drama, Three Stars • Tags: Azazel Jacobs, Bridger Zadina, Creed Bratton, Jacob Wysocki, Jenna Gavigan, John C. Reilly, Melanie Abramoff, Olivia Crocicchia

“Terri” was released to DVD & Blu-ray last week. The film received a limited theatrical release back in July 0f 2011, grossing $600k before heading to retail.

“Terri” is directed by Azazel Jacobs, a promising young director who hasn’t been heard from since 2008′s “Momma’s Man”. That film showed promise, and I’m surprised it took him so long to resurface.

This time around, he’s taken his craft to the next level. “Terri”, starring Jacob Wysocki, Olivia Crocicchia, and John C. Reilly, is a charming independent film and sure to please audiences.

Ladies, for the record...this is NOTHING wrong with getting fingerbanged in home economics.

The main character, Terri (that’s a boy’s name, FYI), is a obese teen who wears pajamas to school. Why? Because they are comfortable, of course. Once I got over the initial shock of staring at a great big fat person, I settled in and was thoroughly engrossed in the story.

Stealing the show, though, is John C. Reilly as Principal Fitzgerald. Even since he hit artistic rock bottom with “Step Brothers”, Reilly’s career has rebounded nicely. With a string of subtle yet brilliant roles, he’s revitalized his career as a gifted comic actor. With this character, he’s admirable, lovable and laughable at the same time.

Principal Fitzgerald sees Terri as a troubled youth. He befriends him, inviting him to weekly hang-out sessions in his office before school (along with other misfit students). The story takes a strange turn for the weird when Terri forms a relationship with an attractive sexually-troubled girl who’s looking for a friend.

The film doesn’t really tread on any new territory, but with colorful characters and great performances, it feels more special than it should’ve been. Wysocki and Crocicchia are relative unknowns, but both will surely find work in Hollywood moving forward.

Maybe I’m jaded from watching so much dreck. Maybe I’ve had my fill with CGI robots. “Terri” caught me at the right time, and was a welcome change of pace from the big-budget nonsense I’ve been subjected to over the last several weeks. It’s not the greatest film I’ve ever seen, but it’s a nice, solid, fun little way to waste 100 minutes.

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