Pottersville Review (2017) - A fantastically eccentric frolic through small town quirks, oddity, Sasquatch shenanigans and the hilarity that ensues!
Happy Holidays and Blessed Yule season to all! We love this time of year and are thrilled to be starting it off with a favorite of ours “Pottersville”! Now, if you've ever pondered the notion of what would happen if Bigfoot strolled into a small town during the holiday season…well, “Pottersville" is your oddly specific answer. This 2017 gem takes us on a whimsical journey into the heart of a quirky town and explores the consequences of some well-intentioned, yet utterly hilarious and perplexing decisions!
While, "Pottersville" is a fanciful, and silly comedy that explores quirky situations and the consequences in a small town…it also touches lightly on some tougher themes. The film is generally lighthearted and comedic, but it does contain elements that may be triggering. Trigger warnings for the movie include scenes involving misunderstandings related to furry costume role-play, infidelity, marital dynamics, the accidental portrayal of a local legend, and the ensuing chaos in the town. It's important for us to be aware of these elements to ensure a good viewing experience for all!
We will also do everything we can to not give too many spoilers in this review but there is likely to be some so please take that into consideration and read cautiously.
Let’s get started!
We are introduced to the quaint and quirky town of Pottersville in winter. Snow is coming down and Christmas music is playing! We are very clearly already in or heading towards the holiday season! After a good overview of the town, we get the name of the film on screen, along with a general store van parked and the main character, Maynard Greiger (Michael Shannon), stepping out of the vehicle and heading into his general store.
He opens the store and we get a lovely view of it. It is adorable, decorated and well kept. Maynard steps out on the sidewalk with his snow shovel and starts shoveling the walkway. After he has cleared the front of his store he looks up the street…checks his watch, shrugs and clears the entire sidewalk of snow. It is a bit odd to us potatoes considering that his store is the only business still open, but it is sweet nonetheless and will make getting to his store far easier for customers!
We cut to Maynard back inside his store, ringing up some items for a young woman and her young son. Her son wants some candy, but she tells him that they cannot do that at this time. Maynard tells her the total, and she looks awkward and nervous. She asks Maynard if there is any way that it could be put on their tab despite how high the tab already is.
Maynard is quick to allow this, and pulls out his large note book to write it down for her to pay later. He then leans forward on the counter and gives the little boy the candy he wanted. The woman thanks him and leaves, but this whole scenario does not go unnoticed by his co-worker and employee, Parker (Judy Greer).
She lightly teases him, and calls him a good man. Maynard shrugs it off and they continue to their work day. Cut to a little bit later and a gruff man (Ian McShane) walks into the general store. He takes an exaggerated whiff of the store and says, “Old cedar and fresh flowers, never get tired of that smell in here.”
Maynard smiles at him, “Afternoon, Bart. What do you got?”
Bart (Ian McShane) walks up to the counter and tells him what cuts of wild game he has to sell at the moment. Maynard decides to buy some Elk steaks off of Bart because his wife Connie (Christina Hendricks) loves them. Bart pulls out a flask of homemade moonshine and takes a swig.
Maynard says, “You still making that stuff? You know moonshine will drive you crazy.”
Bart looks at him, and says, “The way I look at it, we live on this tiny rock that’s flying through the blackness of space at about, what, 60,000 miles an hour? And there’s only one damn way to get off it. If that thought don’t make you crazy, I don’t know what the hell will.”
Maynard reflects on this. He had never thought of it that way, and he tells Bart this. Bart then pushes Maynard to get out more, “Breathe some life.”
Maynard agrees, and Bart kindly gives him a glass container of some of his homemade moonshine, “for the next time you want to get a little crazy.”
Maynard shrugs and takes it. Why the hell not…why not indeed Maynard…why not indeed. We potatoes love this message. It is so important in our humble opinions to remember that our time here is short and to make the most of that time. We are not getting any younger, and it is so important to live life now! But we digress!
They wrap up their transaction with the elk steaks, and Bart heads out! Maynard has a pensive look on his face. He wants to Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)! So he decides to head home early, bring the steaks, and surprise his wife with a romantic evening…
Well…some things are just too predictable are they not?
Maynard's life takes a bizarre turn when he arrives home and discovers his wife Connie, (Christina Hendricks) participating in furry costume role-play with the town's sheriff, Sheriff Jack! (Ron Perlman) upstairs in their bedroom.
Connie declares that she is bored! To which Maynard tells her to get a hobby! We have to say that Maynard makes an excellent point! Boredom, is an incredibly paltry excuse for infidelity. Not that any excuse for that kind of behavior could possibly be good! But we digress!
Shocked, confused, and angry, Maynard leaves the house and much later in the evening returns completely drunk to the general store. Parker is still there closing everything up when he arrives and they have a very odd conversation because of just how completely trashed Maynard is!
Parker is confused, and concerned for Maynard as he double fists moonshine, and red wine. Parker tries to convince Maynard to go home…but Maynard finally gets coherent enough to tell Parker that he and Connie are…no more.
Parker invites him to her place to sleep, but Maynard just wants to be alone. Parker leaves him at the store and Maynard proceeds to go into his back office.
He keeps mumbling about squirrels and bunnies while he starts to put together a costume of sorts…it is a mish mosh of things along with a gorilla mask! Maynard has drunkenly convinced himself that a gorilla is WAY better than a squirrel/wolf and decides to try to walk back to his house, through the town, in this costume, drunkenly howling…in an attempt to surprise his wife!
Well, his actions are completely misunderstood by the townsfolk, as he was not at all quiet or subtle…leading them to believe that they have encountered a real Bigfoot!
We will be wrapping up from here so as to not give too much away.
Rather than clarifying the situation, Maynard decides to play along with the misunderstanding! He sees how the belief in Bigfoot livens up the town, creates a lot of excitement, and seems to band everyone together! This odd decision sets off a series of hilarious events as the town becomes more and more convinced that a Bigfoot is among them. Maynard's accidental transformation into a local legend brings much chaos and hilarity that we thoroughly enjoyed!
The film's whimsical premise seamlessly blends elements of comedy, small-town eccentricities, and the unexpected and ridiculous consequences of Maynard's actions. The tone is lighthearted, and the story just gets sillier and more absurd, creating a unique and entertaining experience.
Michael Shannon's performance is a comedic masterpiece, delivering deadpan humor with a dash of bewildered charm! All of the actors do such an awesome job in this movie! The writing, while incredibly eccentric, turns Maynard into an accidental folk hero, throwing the town into a state of cryptid hysteria and we potatoes absolutely love it! So silly, so damn fun, and just an all-around riot!
However, we potatoes did notice that behind all of the laughter and silliness…lies a subtle commentary on the pitfalls of being an overly accommodating person. Maynard's penchant for selflessness is a bit wild to say the least! He decides to become Bigfoot to bring joy to his fellow townsfolk! While the intention is noble and extremely sweet, the execution is, well, questionable at best. The film cleverly explores the consequences of unchecked altruism, making us ponder the thin line between being helpful and causing outright pandemonium!
Maynard's people-pleasing is portrayed with both humor and a touch of poignancy. We’ve all encountered someone like Maynard in our lives, the person who goes out of their way to accommodate others, always putting their needs above their own. We potatoes have been Maynard. One of us potatoes has, quite literally, given their prescription glasses off of their face to someone who we felt, needed them, forgetting that well…we need them too…it took over 6 months to get them back. It was unwise to say the least but we have been there...and are honestly still working on it. Healing and behavioral change is an ongoing process!
The film sheds some light on the mental and emotional toll of being an unbridled people-pleaser. The consequence of continually prioritizing others over oneself creates a sense of self-erasure. Maynard's character, in his relentless pursuit of making everyone else happy, loses touch with his own identity. He becomes the town's beloved Bigfoot but at the cost of his own individuality amidst acts of kindness.
We felt that "Pottersville" explores the consequences of prioritizing others at the expense of one's well-being. Maynard's unquestioning acceptance of his role highlights the harm that comes when we fail to set boundaries and we neglect our own needs.
The constant pursuit of others approval can lead to a lot of issues, such as, avoidance of conflicts, and fear of rejection, contribute to burnout, resentment, anxiety, and a loss of identity. Overcoming people-pleasing is a journey of self-awareness, boundary-setting, self-esteem building, seeking support, and practicing self-care! Which we potatoes thoroughly recommend and practice! But, we unfortunately do not get to see this for Maynard!
This did frustrate us potatoes a little, the film sends incredibly clichéd messages about selflessness. We will not elaborate on that further, but we felt that one of the only aspects of the film that could have been improved upon would be the messaging towards the end of the film. It is rather unrealistic and does not reflect all of the healing, and growth that we would have loved to see for Maynard. It was still a heartwarming ending, and it fit well within the context of the story, but it would have been nice to see a better representation of growth for Maynard.
We also felt that the portrayal of Furries, was a bit problematic. It felt more like a caricature of furries and furry culture which could be tremendously misleading. But we digress!
Nevertheless! "Pottersville" does show us how people-pleasing can result in a skewed perception of reality. Maynard's willingness to conform to the town's fantasies eventually blurs the lines between reality and fiction. His desperate need to make others happy becomes a source of personal chaos, and inviting us to reflect on the delicate balance between selflessness and self-worth with a heavy dash of cryptid charm!
We love this! We adore this film, and highly recommend it! "Pottersville" is a wild ride, and takes you into some bizarre places, but it is absolutely hilarious and extremely entertaining. With its peculiar premise, the movie brings a fresh and delightful perspective, making it a must-watch in our humble opinions! If you are someone that likes stories that blend comedy, unexpected twists, cryptids, and a strong dash of holiday charm, then "Pottersville" is the perfect movie for you! Here's to the enchanting world of "Pottersville" and its cryptozoological wonders!
We give this movie 4 out of 5 bottles of Moonshine!
The Pottersville Drinking Game
Take a sip anytime:
1. Christmas music plays
2. The townsfolk put things on their tab at Maynard's store
3. Furries are on screen or mentioned
4. Anyone mentions Bart's hunting skills
5. Anyone says "Bigfoot"
6. Maynard dresses up as Big Foot
7. Maynard howls, yowls, or growls like a Sasquatch
8. Maynard goes out of his way to do something nice
9. Bart makes you laugh
10. Brock says "Sasquatch" or "'Squatch"
11. Jack (The Sheriff) defends furry culture or mentions "the club"
What did you think? Did you like the movie? Did you hate it? What movies should we watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly!