source: Guidance

Usually when one person writes, directs, and stars in a film, it's a HUGE danger sign, but in this case, it's actually pretty good. Very low key, kind of slow moving, but some funny bits and one liners in this one by Pat Mills. He actually WAS a child star back in 1979, and apparently didn't do anything in film or television again until 2000, so clearly, this is partly auto-biographical, albeit, tongue in cheek. In the story, David, who may or may not be gay, has trouble holding onto a job. Probably because he likes to drink. He gets a gig as a high-school guidance counselor, and takes on another identity. The students see right through him, but because he tells it like it is, he actually gets through to them and things are working out. At least for now. Then it hits the fan.... the (male) gym teacher is hitting on him, and people start recognizing him from his childhood days on television. Some pretty clever stuff in between the serious stuff. It gets a little weird when it all blows up on him, but it's still funny. This was funded by Telefilm Canada, and you can hear it now and then when they speak. This is showing on Netflix. If you like the offbeat, fun ones, check it out!

I watched this on Netflix streaming movies. It is a product of Pat Mills, a Canadian, who wrote and directed and also stars. It is a parody of his own life, starting out as a child actor on a TV series. In this fictional takeoff Mills is a mostly unemployed actor who drinks too much and is always on the verge of being evicted from his apartment. He has a difficult time facing issues. Like the skin cancer he has on his shoulder, the doctor says it is serious and needs to be treated. But his approach is to put a band-aid on it to hide it. With enough smarts to realize he needs a job, he looks in the newspaper classifieds and sees a position for a high school guidance counselor. He is absolutely unequipped for that but decides, "I'm an actor, I can play that part." So he finds a video of a real guidance counselor, studies it, learns the right things to say, and steals his identity for the interview. There is an immediate opening, the Principal is headed out of town, so they call back and hire him the same day. Of course the whole thing is implausible, he drinks shots of vodka with students in his office, he smokes pot with them, he tells a promiscuous girl she needs to accept that she is a * and be the best * she can be. In essence all the things a guidance counselor should not do. It doesn't last, especially when he starts to rob tanning salons for quick cash. There is no significant moral here except that there are people like this in life, I knew one very well, who think that constant positive reinforcement of one's self can overcome anything. It can't.

"Guidance" is a very strange movie and it's the product of Pat Mills, who wrote, directs and stars in the project. In some ways, the film seems a tad autobiographical...or at least inspired by Mills' own experiences. This is because he was a child star long ago with Nickelodeon Television...and his career has floundered a bit since. When the story begins, David is a pathetic guy. Once a television star, he can't even keep a job doing voice-over work since he's an alcoholic. He also has skin cancer, but, like his alcoholism, he uses massive amounts of denial and refuses to deal with it. Out of no where, David decides he needs money and a career change, so he decides to be a school counselor. So what that he's never been to college and doesn't know the first thing about how to do this job! And, he decides that he can do the job if he ACTS like he can do the job. Surprisingly, with fake credentials he finds a school where they are desperate enough to hire him...and he turns out to be an incredibly awful counselor. He drinks with students, advises one to be a GIANT *, buys pot off one of the kids and makes a huge mess of things. So what's he to do when it all comes to a head? He does what anyone would do in this situation- -he steals a car, goes on a robbery spree and takes along one of his favorite students to help!! What's next? See this incredibly weird film. Although the plot is completely unbelievable in many ways, it works for several reasons. Mills did a nice job in creating and acting out this wacky character and David certainly holds your interest. Additionally, the film works because folks can suspend their disbelief and actually imagine a crazed ex-child star doing this crazy stuff!! Overall, an original and engaging film that oddly balances comedy with tragedy into one incredibly strange but likable package.

Pat Mills is a talented funny guy. I had never of him prior to reading about this film on Rotten Tomatoes where they have a great section showcasing films that are currently on Netflix. It sounded interesting and it turned out to be really funny. Mills plays a former child star with all the clichéd dysfunctional attributes that go with that curse. He apparently has first hand experience, because when I looked him up I discovered that he began his career as a child on a Nickelodeon show, Mills character David, lies to get his job and then begins doling out the worst advice possible. It all turns out funnier than it should be. At one point the school Administrator's discover his lies and his actions and the film takes a different much less successful turn. I think Mills makes some really bad choices at this point with the character including his turning on his students. Look, odds are if you watch this close to the date of this post, you are going to go into it with few expectations, and you are very likely to be happily surprised. Almost gave it a 7 due to the weak final act, but gave it an 8 for its' uniqueness.

As the description states this story is about a former male child star who as an adult has become the classic 'boozing, drug-addled former child star looser'. To get his act together and keep his apartment he must find a job. And due to circumstance at the local high school he scores a job as a high school guidance counselor, for which he is totally unprepared outside of interviewing for the position. After numerous failures as a 'qualified' counselor he decides the best way to help the students in need of guidance is to just encourage them to be exactly who they are! But be the best at it. In doing this he becomes very popular with the students and very unpopular with the resentful fellow staff teachers. When one teacher discovers the guidance counselor's past, he begins to make trouble for the successful counselor. And here is where the movie begins to get both serious and funny. "Guidance" is a delightful little story with numerous characters you will both hate and characters you will love. The performances are spot on and the storyline rolls along without any boring uninteresting scenes. And please stay with it through the end credits because there is more!

I like Judd Apatow movies. They are offensive comedies, characters are over the top. They are a cartoon of real life. By comparison, say.. an Adam Sandler or Dana Carvey movie is more of a full on fantasy cartoon of real life. In "Guidance", we have something more subtle. You get the eccentric funny character- in a real life setting. The whole world is transformed by one believable eccentric figure. This is a relatively obscure film- not a lot of votes, it's Canadian. When considering spending an hour or two of my life watching a film- I care that it have some substance, that it be amusing perhaps, that it be shot well, I don't want crappy immature work of the camera. I want good actors, I want a good story. This movie has it all. I was shocked by how fun it was. I'm delighted that I chose to watch this movie last night with my darling. Try this movie for ten minutes, before you know it- the biggest regret will be that eventually the movie ends.

Trailer—Guidance

Guidance