Special: 2 Stars

Special is a film that could have been. It could have been smart, it could have had insight and it could have been great. Unfortunately a loveable Michael Rapaport is wasted in a film that isn’t quite sure what it wants to be, leaves intriguing plot points unturned and misses some great opportunities.

Basically, the reason this movie gets two stars instead of one is Michael Rapaport; the reason I wanted to see this film. I love Michael Rapaport, and I think he’s perfect for this role. He plays wounded and affected as well as anyone else. There are a few decent supporting actors and roles, but this is his show and he delivers. What doesn’t deliver is the script. Like Watchmen, but in a much less intellectual and extravagant way, Special asks the question, “What would happen if normal everyday people became superheroes?” Rapaport plays Les, a man unsatisfied with his place in this world who enrolls in a pharmaceutical clinical trial. The medication is only supposed to make one’s self doubt disappear but takes an extreme effect on Les and essentially makes him think he has superpowers. Imitating the characters in the comic books he loves, Les sets out on his new occupation.

While it is entertaining to watch Rapaport in this role, foiling imaginary crimes and running face first into walls thinking he is running through them, the film never goes beyond this. Actually, I take that back. The film does go into a strange area of bashing prescription drug manufacturers (or suits) and the lengths they will go to get their drug on the market. While I don’t disagree with this observation, the film slowly drifts away from the most interesting subject matter and ends on a very unsatisfactory note. In addition, and I’ll say this without trying to spoil anything, in the last twenty minutes we are teased with a new and exciting storyline that is literally and simply left behind and never resolved in order to revisit the evil suits one last time. In the end, and on many levels, I’m left asking why?