Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot – review

Hello, my name is Addy and I have a problem. I’ve come to realise recently that sometimes when we are placed in horrible situations and life just sucks we tend to drown ourselves in self-pity by comparing our problems with those around us. Insecurity check. Mild social anxiety yep. Raging self-doubt tick. It’s a killer combo when you’re playing a game of limbo with your ego. How low can you go with self-pity? Mine’s pretty low already cause I’m short and my standards aren’t that high. I wonder if you’re like me and like the occasional whine. No? Okay.

Well John Callahan was a man who had a shit life. Orphaned, sexually assaulted as a young boy, paralysed in his early 20s because of a drunk driver, and struggling with an alcohol problem, he had every right to complain. What resulted from the aftermath of many years of pain was an autobiography which had its onscreen adaptation 20 years later as Gus Van Sant’s biopic Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot. The source material, the late John Callahan’s autobiography of the same name, had first been optioned by Robin Williams for Gus Van Sant to adapt for screen, which eventually happened. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Callahan an alcoholic whose struggle with substance abuse led to life in a wheelchair and in turn a career of drawing a politically incorrect newspaper cartoons.

Under the guidance of a long-haired, almost spiritual-like guru Donnie Green (Jonah Hill), the film is structured in an almost a non-linear narrative of flashbacks and recollections of Callahan’s personal experience of which he spends most the film narrating. The personal narrative is intimate, showing the vulnerability and flaws of Callahan’s character though the unpolished nature portraying his self-pitying attitude, drinking problem, and sense of helplessness. The story is simple enough to resonate with viewers and doesn’t dive too deeply into the dark issues of addiction or substance abuse. In addition to this, the film’s use of warm daylight tones and choice of comedic cast help shape viewer perception of the film as comedy whilst juxtaposed with some serious issues which are addressed throughout.

As a cartoonist Callahan used dark humour and politically incorrect cartoons to shed light on issues of society and in the same way Gus Van Sant’s adaption of Callahan’s life story is shaped by his choice of cast with actors such as Jack Black and Jonah Hill, well known for their comedic roles, bringing light to what could be a sombre subject matter.

In Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, the scenes of group therapy sessions with Donnie becomes a regular occurrence; over the course of the film it’s almost like you’re in an AA meeting for the price of your movie ticket. What a bargain. No group chats or awkward small talk, just sitting alone in a darkened cinema and having moments of self-reflection.

Whilst watching the film and I couldn’t help but notice how the cinema smelt of alcohol as Van Sant portrayed the perils of addiction and alcohol dependency on screen. It seems almost like social commentary embodied in the context of my film watching experience.

The film’s title is a punchline that is self-depreciating for it references a cartoon drawn by Callahan, which contains an image of 3 cowboys on pursuit of a man who has left his wheelchair behind. The image makes reference to Callahan’s own disability by poking fun at himself.

Gus Van Sant structures the film to include a cast of supporting characters which become Callahan’s support network. The revelation is that everyone has their own personal demons they’re struggling with is portrayed through Green’s dialogue, ‘we all make excuses’ and ‘you need to wrestle with this shit every day.’ Through a support network life becomes easier to get through.

Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot is a film that resonates beyond its duration. What I’ve learnt is that despite their offensive nature, dark comedy and politically incorrect jokes help to shed light on life’s difficulties and the way we choose to cope with these situations speaks a lot about our character and perhaps how we deal with trauma. To me, humour will always be a coping mechanism for times when we feel a sense of helplessness or need to rely on others, which is at times crippling when you’re at a loss, when you’re on your own, or when you feel that you are.

The film is released in Australian cinemas nationally on September 27th

Review by Addy Fong.