A thoroughly enjoyable film starring Rosanna Arquette and an excellent cast of British actors. Dead Cool’s main character David is played to great effect by Steven Geller. 15 year old David’s father is filled early on in the film and he continues to haunt the boy throughout the picture. The movie recounts David’s trails and tribulations with his remaining family and the second add-on family from his mothers (Imogen Stubbs) new boyfriend, played here by Anthony Calf. Other excellent actors in the picture include Aaron Johnson as David’s younger brother George and Gemma Lawrence as Sue, the oldest daughter of the mom’s new boyfriend.
Rosanna Arrquette comes into play as the ex-wife of David’s mother’s new boyfriend. She’s a wise and sexy older lady to David’s young and confused mind and she ends up in bed with him by the end of the picture in a somewhat surprising ongoing love affair.
Seeing the drama unfold and the two families struggling to come to peace with each other is both comical and heartwarming and makes for a great film. There are a few sort of loose ends - like the ghostly father figure feels mildly hackneyed and uncessary and there’s an oddly disconnected few bits of David’s Jewish heritage -including a funny circumcision scene early on - that seems in no way pertinent to the rest of the film or to David’s headspace or upbringing. Apart from these minor quibbles, though, Dead Cool is a great movie and comes recommended.
