Marshals Star Luke Grimes And Bruce Willis Crossed Paths In A Bizarre Comedy

Christopher Saunders/CBS

Kayce Dutton is nan domiciled that turned Luke Grimes into a star. The character is presently reprising his breakout "Yellowstone" domiciled successful "Marshals," a show that asks, "What if we did 'Yellowstone' arsenic a CBS procedural that had nary thought what it's really about?" It's hardly nan first clip Grimes has appeared successful a questionable project, however. Not only was he portion of nan "Fifty Shades" trilogy, but Grimes besides starred successful a rejected neo-Western series that ne'er went beyond nan aviator stage. Then there's 2008's "Assassination of a High School President," successful which nan character appeared alongside Bruce Willis and "The O.C." prima Mischa Barton. This 1 is "questionable" not because nan movie is bad, necessarily, but because it virtually raises respective questions pinch its premise alone.

For 1 thing, "Assassination of a High School President" is simply a drama noir group successful a New Jersey Catholic precocious school. It's narrated by an unpopular kid successful a classical movie noir style and features nan unraveling of a conspiracy. But it besides has nan hit of a precocious schoolhouse drama and coming-of-age tale. Oh, and Bruce Willis is there. It's offbeat and benignant of weird but charming successful its ain way, not dissimilar nan young Luke Grimes who appears successful nan movie looking downright unrecognizable without his designer cowboy stubble.

"Assassination of a High School President" is nan directorial debut of euphony video seasoned Brett Simon, who, since making this film, has only helmed 1 different feature-length project: 2018's "Better Start Running." His first foray into characteristic filmmaking was met pinch mixed reviews and encountered respective hurdles anterior to its first release. But if you're willing successful a little-known quirky drama noir aliases simply want to spot much of Grimes' pre-"Yellowstone" work, it makes for an absorbing watch.

Yari Film Group

"Assassination of a High School President" stars Reece Thompson arsenic Robert "Bobby" Funke, a newsman for his Catholic precocious school's newspaper. Bobby isn't nan astir celebrated kid successful school, and his chances of attending Northwestern University's summertime publicity programme are looking slim since he's ne'er really vanished an article. When he's assigned to constitute a study connected student assembly president Paul Moore (Patrick Taylor), Bobby erstwhile again fails to nutrient a story. Soon after, however, SAT exams spell missing from nan tyrannical Principal Jared T. Kirk's (Bruce Willis) office, and Bobby sets retired to lick nan mystery.

Along nan way, Bobby manages to implicate Paul and, successful nan process, bargain his woman Francesca (Mischa Barton), who whitethorn aliases whitethorn not move retired to beryllium a femme fatale. It soon emerges that there's much to nan communicative and that Paul may, successful fact, beryllium innocent. Luke Grimes plays 1 of Paul's friends, Marlon Piazza, who isn't each that fond of Bobby. Yes, that intends he isn't really successful nan movie each that much, but he does a coagulated occupation of playing a bully.

"Assassination of a High School President" premiered astatine nan 2008 Sundance Film Festival earlier its distributor, Yari, went bankrupt. That meant nan movie sat successful nan vault for nan adjacent twelvemonth until a theatrical merchandise was abandoned, and it was sent consecutive to DVD connected October 6, 2009. When it did arrive, critics didn't precisely hail "Assassination of a High School President" arsenic 1 of the astir basal High School movies ever made, but it does person its fans.

Yari Film Group

At nan clip of writing, "Assassination of a High School President" has a 55% professional people connected Rotten Tomatoes. That doesn't rather convey conscionable really antagonistic immoderate of nan reviews really were, however. Cliff Doerksen of nan Chicago Reader didn't find thing redeeming successful nan film, writing, "The noir pastiche is sitcom-ish, nan characters vestigial, and nan satire of precocious schoolhouse truthful compromised I wondered if cowriters Tim Calpin and Kevin Jakubowski weren't home-schooled." Stephen Farber wasn't rather arsenic harsh successful his reappraisal for The Hollywood Reporter, but remained likewise unimpressed by nan films' evident inability to "find capable caller insights to make for basal viewing."

Over connected Letterboxd, however, things are a small much positive. "Assassination of a High School President" has plentifulness of bully reviews, pinch 1 instrumentality writing, "The cinematography is great, nan editing is snappy, and nan momentum keeps going." Others praised nan film's "endearing cast" and moreover likened it to cult hits specified arsenic nan likewise free-to-stream nostalgic 80s thriller "Heathers."

So, if you're intrigued by nan imaginable of a little-known early Luke Grimes capacity aliases compelled by nan committedness of a precocious schoolhouse noir that's fundamentally a transverse betwixt "Superbad" and 1 of the awesome noir movies (okay, a benignant of decent noir movie), past "Assassination of a High School President" is worthy a try. Heck, springiness it a spell if you're conscionable sick of "Marshals" continuing nan "Yellowstone" franchise's depressing trends. "Assassination of a High School President" is disposable free connected some Tubi and Pluto TV.