VHYes

VHYes is a 2019 American comedy film directed by Jack Henry Robbins, written by Nunzio Randazzo and Henry Robbins, produced by Delaney Schenker, and starring Mason McNulty.[1][2]

VHYes
Film poster
Directed byJack Henry Robbins
Written byNunzio Randazzo
Jack Henry Robbins
Produced byDelaney Schenker
StarringMason McNulty
Rahm Braslaw
Kerri Kenney-Silver
Thomas Lennon
Mark Proksch
Charlyne Yi
Jake Head
Christian Drerup
Madeline Zima
Tim Robbins
Susan Sarandon
CinematographyNate Gold
Edited byAvner Shiloah
Distributed byOscilloscope Laboratories
Release dates
  • September 21, 2019 (2019-09-21) (Fantastic Fest)
  • January 12, 2020 (2020-01-12) (United States)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

In 1987, a young boy named Ralph receives a VHS camcorder from his parents as a Christmas gift. Ralph quickly sets about filming his own explorations of the neighborhood, ersatz music videos with his best friend, and in particular recording late-night television to see what sort of programming comes on after he goes to bed. Unbeknownst to Ralph, the blank VHS he has chosen to use is, in fact, his parents' wedding video. The film is largely composed of sketches parodying 1980s late-night television, in particular infomercials, porn, and public access television. One particularly surreal talk show features a woman who theorizes that increasing use of VHS cameras will alter people's perception of reality, and thus reality itself. Throughout, snippets of Ralph's parents' wedding are shown, juxtaposed against vignettes Ralph captures documenting the slow deterioration of their marriage, including arguments and apparent infidelity on the part of Ralph's father.

Intrigued by a true crime program about a local sorority house fire, Ralph and his best friend sneak away from home on New Year's Eve to investigate the remains, where they encounter the ghost of a girl killed in the blaze. Trying to escape the building, Ralph discovers an antique television set and plugs the camera into it, transporting him within the world of his own VHS, which has begun to deteriorate. After meeting with several individuals from the various programs he's recorded, Ralph encounters a younger version of his mother. He asks her why she married his father if she would eventually grow so unhappy with him. Ralph's mother recounts a poignant memory from her wedding day by way of explaining their relationship. After she bids him goodbye, Ralph and his friend find themselves back in the sorority house; deciding they have had enough of VHS, they abandon the camera and return home.

Cast

Production

The film was shot entirely in VHS and Betacam.[3][4][5][6]

Reception

As of October 2021, the film holds a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 43 reviews with an average rating of 6.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "VHYes is a unique film for specific tastes -- and a rare, albeit grimy gift for viewers who can appreciate its retro aesthetic and absurd humor."[7] Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media awarded the film two stars out of five.[8] Clayton Dillard of Slant Magazine awarded the film one and a half stars out of four.[9] Haleigh Foutch of Collider graded the film a B.[10] A. A. Dowd of The A.V. Club graded it a C+.[11] Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com gave the film one star.[12] Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave it four and a half stars out of five.[13] Andy Crump of Paste rated it a 7.9.[14] Lorry Kikta of Film Threat awarded the film a 10 out of 10.[15]

References
  1. Beans, Freddy (16 January 2020). "Freddy reviews VHYes, an experimental film that hits all the right 80's vibes". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  2. Friar, Joe (15 January 2020). "'VHYes' Review: Spoof of '80s late-night television that would fit right at home on Adult Swim". The Victoria Advocate. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  3. J. Hurtado (14 January 2020). "Review: VHYES, A Jolt Cola Induced Surreal Flashback To The Analog Days Of Yore". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  4. Gullickson, Brad (3 October 2019). "The Director and Cast of 'VHYES' Explain the Terror and Hilarity of Video Tape". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  5. Ramos, Dino-Ray (13 December 2019). "'VHYES' Trailer: Lo-Fi '80s Nostalgia Thrives In Unconventional Found Footage Comedy". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  6. DeFore, John (15 January 2020). "'VHYes': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  7. "VHYes". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  8. Sandie Angulo Chen. "VHYes". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  9. Dillard, Clayton (12 January 2020). "Review: VHYes Spoofs Late-Night TV Without Exacting Critiques". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  10. Foutch, Haleigh (28 September 2019). "'VHYes' Review: A Heartfelt VHS Throwback Comedy with a Brilliant Structural Hook". Collider. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  11. Dowd, A.A. (16 January 2020). "Found-footage comedy VHYes is less fun than the late-night TV it's spoofing". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  12. Allen, Nick (17 January 2020). "VHYes". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  13. Sokol, Tony (15 January 2020). "VHYes Review: Midnight Movie Throwback Recalls Cult Classics". Den of Geek. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  14. Crump, Andy (14 January 2020). "VHYes Rewinds to Pre-Smartphone Era of Self-Recording". Paste. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  15. Kikta, Lorry (18 January 2020). "VHYES". Film Threat. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
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