"What do you do at Wal Mart?""I'm a night stalker."
At this point in the film Buzzard, our "hero" Marty has been living off of his skills as a scam artist for a few
days, on the run from trouble with a previous con. He's been caught by the manager of a check cashing place, and is being held in the back office until the cops arrive. During some chit chat, he comes up with several stories, one of them about a job at Wal Mart. In passing, it's not all that important, as he just wants out of the building. But, when asked the specifics of his job, he pronounces stocker as "stalker".
This takes the manager back a bit, who responds with a what and a smirk. To us, it was only a matter of time.
Prior to these events, Marty trudged along as an office temp. His outlook was rather poor, responding to the ambitions of those around him with a Generation X "whatever" attitude. He's short tempered and impatient, but keeps a hobby of kleptomania. Outside of the office - though, opportunities at the office do arise - he gets away with petty frauds, like returning items he never paid for or straight up lying to others. It's all done with great levity, even courteous like. Not that he's doing these people any favors...
I've read the word anti hero used to describe this young man. I'd take it farther and call him a full fledged hero. From a certain point of view, anyways. While he is most definitely selfish, he takes a righteous philosophy, feeling that the current economic and political state are the true villains. Sure, he may have only used that excuse when pressed against a corner, but I see how it could be true to him. Anytime his efforts to get ahead are thwarted, he strikes back with a homemade power glove / knife tipped combo weapon and an aggression that denotes not just self preservation but an attempt at getting justice. He's entitled to the life he wants, dammit, and the environment he's been born into and currently lives in only encourages this thinking.
But, what does he want? Contentment? He's only truly satisfied when left alone and allowed to do what he does. After a successful rouse, he enjoys a large plate of spaghetti in bed. We hold on him, from one angle, for one take, for several minutes. It's hypnotic, watching him relaxed, shoveling noodles down his throat. Vengeance is his in this moment? Seems so. He may not be very forward thinking, and his goals are superficial and worn on his sleeve, but he is a hero of sorts. Of the kind of unlikable, misguided sort, but still.
What would be a good superhero name for Marty? The Occupier? It does fit a bit, as he would use the Occupy Movement's call to arms as reasoning for his actions. Why not?
By no means do I think Buzzard is a study of my fellow young adults as a whole, but it does involve us. It's our reflection in the funny mirror at the circus. At least, I hope that's all it is. I don't think I want to chew on the depth at play here - the implications are too disturbing. Aimless shrugging and violence born out of the anxiety of avoiding responsibility; are we sure this wasn't written by an old man shaking his fist at whipper snappers?
4 / 5 *s
Buzzard played at this years Louisiana International Film Festival.
