At the Scottsdale film festival a few years back I embarrassed myself in front of Patrick Warburton. I was volunteering for the festival, which usually means handing out review forms or herding citizens into neater lines. But that year, I got to meet Mr. Puddy, who was presenting Civilization..., in which he plays Maxwell, on opening night.
First, I giggled when I was introduced. See, I always had a thing for him, back to the Puddy days. The guy is hysterical - and now I find out, super charming. Later, during the intro, he was doing a round of trivia and I was the only one in the audience who could answer a Tick question. I was probably the only one there who had even seen The Tick... After the intro, he sat right behind me, and I was worried I couldn't focus on the film.
But no. His character, Maxwell Bright, is a certain type of angry American, a guy who just can't handle independent, American women. (The character is despicable, and yet riveting to watch. You can't believe it's Warburton... Had he ever been in a serious role?) He decides to marry an Asian mail-order bride, a beautiful Buddhist who, of course, has no idea what she signed up for.
So you think you know where this is headed, that the drama is going to come from their clashing cultures, beliefs, and typical male-female struggles. That's how it starts. But there's a transforming event that comes out of nowhere, and profoundly changes the tone of the film.
It was my favorite film of that year. If you're a Warburton fan, you'll be very proud of him.
Do yourself and favor and don't watch the trailer, it gives too much away.
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