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New on VOD today is Hadi Hajaig’s comedy heist caper Blue Iguana. The film follows a couple of small time New York crooks who travel across the pond to swipe a rare jewel. Do hijinks ensue? Well, the primary antagonist rocks a Billy Ray Cyrus-esque mullet, so, yeah, prepare for a smorgasbord of bumbling caper theatrics.
Blue Iguana isn’t must-see fare, but the film’s not without its charms. Phoebe Fox dazzles as eccentric lawyer turned reluctant criminal Katherine Rookwood, and the movie’s hodgepodge of genres, offbeat humor, and general silliness could eventually lead to the film developing a cult following.
The preeminent reason to seek out Blue Iguana, however, is to bask in the sizzling comedic rapport of Sam Rockwell and Ben Schwartz. These two goofballs just radiate copious amounts of weird, wonderful chemistry. Rockwell’s innate kookiness and Schwartz’s contagious comedic gusto is a volatile delight. After watching Blue Iguana — and more specifically, the duo doing press for Blue Iguana — one irrefutable idea endures: We need more Ben Schwartz and Sam Rockwell content pronto.
Chemistry is a fickle alchemy, but Schwartz and Rockwell just click. Schwartz, whom Rockwell recently referred to as an “improv ninja,” is a UCB veteran who’s honed his craft through years of performing. Rockwell, well, is Sam f*cking Rockwell. He’s an Academy Award-winner. The dude can do anything. Schwartz’s indefatigable improv style and Rockwell’s infectious, wholly unique enthusiasm combine to create unpredictable comedy mayhem.
It’s difficult to dissect why their styles mesh so well together, but so much of the humor derives from Rockwell being a runaway train that Schwartz is desperately trying to control. Often times two performers who exude high energy clash, but these two seem to have an inherent understanding of how to modulate their enthusiasm in order to reach a comedic equilibrium. It’s a fun push and pull to watch. Sometimes Rockwell will be the antagonist, while other times it’s Schwartz simply trying to do anything in his power to make Sam laugh.
I’m a fan of both guys individually, but together they’re pure magic. The two possess the ineffable quality that comedy insiders refer to as “pizazz.”
I enjoyed Blue Iguana, but the film ultimately left me wanting more. The movie barely scratches the surface of what Schwartz and Rockwell are capable of when performing together. If you’re a fan of caper comedies it’s worth a watch, but the true heist would be if Blue Iguana is the last we see of the Rockwell/Schwartz comedy duo.
