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6.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Blessed Event remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that move fast, talk faster, and feature a main character who is a total jerk, you’ll have a great time here. If you need your heroes to be morally upstanding or soft-spoken, you are going to absolutely hate Al Roberts. He’s the kind of guy who would sell out his own grandmother for a headline.
Lee Tracy is just electric. He plays Al with this frantic energy, like he’s running on nothing but black coffee and pure spite. It’s not a subtle performance, but it’s exactly what the movie needs to keep the momentum going.
It’s funny, the way this film treats the "blessed event" of the title. It’s not some warm, fuzzy moment; it’s just another piece of leverage for a columnist who has lost his compass. It feels cold, and I mean that as a compliment.
The pacing reminded me a little of some of the frantic energy found in Paris, though the tone here is much grittier and less polished. It doesn’t try to be pretty. It’s a scrappy little film that knows exactly what it wants to do.
Sometimes the supporting cast feels a bit like they’re just waiting for their turn to be yelled at by Tracy. But that’s fine. It highlights just how much of a black hole of personality Al is for everyone around him. He’s a nightmare. And he’s definitely the most interesting thing on screen.
Don’t go in expecting some grand message about the integrity of journalism. It’s a movie about a guy who finds out that words have consequences, and it’s surprisingly refreshing to watch him stumble through the aftermath. It’s not perfect, but it sure is fun to watch him try to talk his way out of a bullet.
