It seems odd that Eddie Malick (Martin Starr) is a member of the high school wrestling team. He’s small, scrawny, and weak. So what makes Eddie such a huge star? His prosthetic eyeball. He makes up for physical prowess on the gym floor with an eyeball that pops out while being bodyslammed, thus disgusting his opponent and enabling him to win.
The film’s highlight is a wonderful supporting role from M. Emmet Walsh (“Blood Simple”, “Raising Arizona”) as Eddie’s mentor, Cliff Cook, a middle-aged fellow whose life revolves around the wrestling team he coaches. “You may have an eye made of glass, but let me tell you something, you’ve got balls made of brass” says Cook in a persuasive moment.
“Eyeball Eddie” is Elizabeth Allen’s entry in this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. It tries to be quirky and offbeat, but in the end it’s just a cliched, predictable dark comedy. Essentially, what we have is a story about the sacrifices a person will make in order to be popular, and the consequences that come with it. We’ve seen it all before.
