“Decisive! Authoritative! These are the words that must describe Sammy.” Sadly, these aren’t the words to describe Sammy. Words like “pathetic” and “heartbroken” are more accurate. If I had to put them in a sentence, I’d write something like, “Sammy is so pathetic and heartbroken that he ordered some penis pills off of the television and now he’s in a world of trouble.” Or, “Sammy is so heartbroken and pathetic that if a psychopathic life coach named Tabitha wanted to convince him to assassinate the Pope, all she’d have to do is introduce him to some schoolgirls.” If Holy Moly hits close to home, I’m so sorry.
Writer/Director Christopher Good swings for the fences with this brash little short. His two lead actors carry the majority of the film with their off-beat relationship. Jimmy Darrah, who plays Sammy, delivers a solid performance as the aforementioned “pathetic and heartbroken” bachelor. It’s hard not to feel for the guy as you watch him make bad decision after bad decision.
Peggy Noland, who plays Tabitha, has a more memorable performance but it may leave some viewers wishing that she’d dialed it back a bit. Her over-the-top delivery combined with the film’s schizophrenic edits can be a bit much at times but, overall, she adds a lot to the film and absolutely keeps it from drifting into sad and sappy territory.
Holy Moly captures those post-break-up moments where all knowledge goes out the window and you keep hitting redial until the restraining order is filed. It uses those moments to guide the characters into ridiculous and extravagant situations that work surprisingly well with the narrative. By the end of the film, when an army of pentagram-wearing schoolgirls shows up in support of the Bishop of Rome’s elimination, you just take it in stride. Really, you’re just happy that things are looking up for Sammy.
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