'Crazy Eyes'

• SXSW Film

  Daily reviews and interviews

• Hurts So Good

  BY MELANIE HAUPT

• From the Eyes of the Abused

  BY BELINDA ACOSTA

• 'Wonder Women!: The Untold Story of American Superheroines'

  BY ROBERT FAIRES

• 'The Do-Deca-Pentathlon'

  BY MELANIE HAUPT

• 'Kid-Thing'

  BY ASHLEY MORENO

• 'Brooklyn Castle'

  BY NORA ANKRUM

• 'Bad Brains: Band in DC'

  BY JOSH ROSENBLATT

• 'Small Apartments'

  BY JAMES RENOVITCH

• 'V/H/S'

  BY RICHARD WHITTAKER

• 'The Source'

  BY NORA ANKRUM

• 'Chasing Ice'

  BY NORA ANKRUM

• 'Sunset Strip'

  BY MARC SAVLOV

• 'Under African Skies'

  BY JOSH ROSENBLATT

• 'Funeral Kings'

  BY NORA ANKRUM

• 'Documentary Shorts 1'

  BY LEAH CHURNER

• 'Documentary Shorts 2'

  BY LEAH CHURNER

• 'Modus Anomali'

  BY RICHARD WHITTAKER

• 'Crazy Eyes'

  BY JAMES RENOVITCH

• 'Scarlet Road'

  BY KATE X MESSER

• 'Lost and Sound'

  BY WAYNE ALAN BRENNER

Crazy Eyes

One of the great challenges of the acting craft is to appear convincingly drunk. Too sloppy and it becomes parody. Too straight and the effect is lost. Haas and Zima, the two leads in director Sherman's third feature, have a difficult road ahead since they spend almost the entirety of Crazy Eyes plastered. Rich and aimless Zach (Haas) finds a new project in getting broken-down Rebecca (Zima) to have sex with him. Getting her in bed and sleeping with her (literally) is not a problem, but despite his zealous efforts, it's a no-go. She could be the key to his salvation, even if he isn't actively looking to be saved. At times, the film feels a bit too indie for its own good (unredeeming lead, meandering plot, woozy camera, lack of resolution, etc.), but all in all the ride is a teetering but good one. Strand Releasing plans to distribute the film in early summer.

Friday, March 16, 11:15am, Alamo Ritz