The Feud

As a satirist of modern America, the reclusive Thomas Berger is one of our best. Neighbors, though not an impressive film, was an insightful novel about suburban warfare. In The Feud, Berger raises the ante from "neighbors" to "families." A contemporary takeoff on the Hatfield-McCoy story, the plot revolves around the animosity between the Bullards of Millville and the Bealers of Hornbeck. When Dolph Bealer goes in to buy a can of paint remover from Bud Bullard's hardware store, he is confronted by one of Bullard's hotheaded relatives (Rene Auberjonois). Following the argument, the Bullard hardware store mysteriously burns to the ground. Thus begins the "feud," an escalating comedy of errors, that starts with a misunderstanding and ends with a supremely ironic twist. Unfortunately, Berger's dark vision does not translate well on film. Rather than letting the eccentricities of the larger than life characters speak for themselves, the main actors blurt their lines with an almost hysterical fervor. And while there are moments when Berger's subtle humor comes across, it's a hit and miss affair (mostly miss). Not recommended. (R. Pitman)