3/5 A Mixed Bag at Mcbeth's Drive Through
  by Kodge (Allston, MA)
Scotland, Pa., a film inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth, proves steroid infused and grinningly delicious at times but leaves one with an artificial aftertaste.

Just how original is this production supported by Lot 49 Films and Billy Morrissette's direction? To ask this question fairly one must also ask how original Shakespeare's tragedy was to begin with. The answer, not very.

Both the drama's driving forces are greed, justice, and the universal question of fate as "Mac," played by James Legross, usurps Duncan of Duncan's diner with a number of casualties along the way. The basic plot and character roles are nearly symmetrical. Lady Mcbeth eggs Mcbeth on, some `witches' stand on the cusp of reality and the supernatural, chance and fate, Lady Mcbeth's anguish manifests itself on her hand, and the laudable Mcduff opposes Mcbeth.

It is important to note the origin of any story, and whether any offspring successfully reinterpret, and in this case, modernize it. Many artists openly admit they don't conceive of every element in their work as much as they inter-mingle them. Therefore, comparison of the frame is essential but the organic (or less than) art therein is the true subject of evaluation and whether or not it resolves its own unique conflicts. After all, should we write off Shakespeare's Macbeth because he borrowed an outline from Holinshed?

Morrissette successfully modernizes the practical details from the original Macbeth. Who better to replace the mystical role of the witches than hippies? How more aptly to exile Detective Mcduff from the scene than have Lady Mcbeth give him a false scent? and where more `punny' to set the film than in a Scotland, Pa: Scotland being a town named after Holinshed and Shakespeare's setting and a P.A., alluding to another name for innovative idea of a drive-through, that leads Mcbeth to indignation, and the murder of his boss, Duncan?

Christopher Walken plays detective Mcduff, and, as usual, has the most unique and believable stage presence. Just like Dustin Hoffman and the young Jack Nicholson, he translates himself into the role without shedding his charm. He first appears at Duncan's funeral, then begins his investigation when he struts into the newly built Mcbeth's fast food joint to the dismay of the Mcbeth couple, who Pat Mcbeth, played by Maura Tierney, succinctly describes as "underachievers that have to make up for lost time."

The interrogation scene is where the film starts taking flight due to the actors' chemistry, compiled with the post-production's chemistry with the footage. Walken interviews employees to the backdrop of a hardly noticeable, and therefore appropriate, instrumental track that mirrors his quirky character interaction and the underlying suspense. He even elevates the usually histrionic Maura Tierney (at least as Pat Mcbeth) to his caliber in their scenes together. On the same note, he might serve as a foil to other actor's scenes because his are just so artful. The only other noteworthy acting is Kevin Corrigan as Anthony 'Banquo' Banconi, playing a seemingly oblivious, but all too observant underling. His anything-but-haphazard haphazard look, voice and casual gestures create his character, whereas the audience finds itself questioning whether it is James Legross, or Mcbeth who is clueless.

Apart from the interrogation scene, the music is a miss with scattered tracks that don't resonate beyond their scene. Songs include a predictable "Moonlight Sonata" at Duncan's funeral and an entire, weary catalogue of Bad Company songs, the only partly suitable one being "Can't Get Enough" during Malcolm Duncan's decision to leave his rock gig and reconcile with his father, coinciding with his frialator death. Too often the music functioned solely as a segue between scenes, a bad idea altogether, or a crutch to define mood rather than reinforce it.

The only consistent production aspect of the film was the lighting and setting. Throughout the film, especially in the outside during the night, the viewer senses the ominousness essential to the tragedy aspect of this tragicomedy. Even when at bars, Duncan's dinner, or the Mcbeth's upper-class home, the production achieves this mood accompanied by a respective griminess or tackiness expected in the backwoods of Pennsylvania in the 70's; for this, dual cheers to the lighting crew and set designers. But even consistency doesn't necessarily equate itself with quality. The real tragic flaw is Morrissette's inability to recognize the cliché, silhouetted face--half shadowed, half illuminated. By the second time this started to get old, let alone the fifth.

Perhaps the most unique flip served with the modern day Macbeth is the theme of nutrition, a fully developed concept within the film. Mcbeth is a blood thirsty carnivore and Mcduff is a vegetarian. What each character eats is the true demarcation between their goals and values, and therefore the deeply rooted necessity for conflict. This idealogical conflict interjects into their characters--Mcduff talks about his wife's baba ghanoush; dialogue--Mcbeth sarcastically tells Mcduff that the spirit he is mixing him is made from a vegetable; and even the plot--Mcbeth shoves a burger into Mcduff's mouth behind a establishment sign reading "Mcbeth's," soon to be "Mcduff's," (a vegetarian establishment).

When all is said and credits run, you walk away from Scotland, Pa. feeling catered to if at least for the fact that Walken's Mcduff wins out. Besides that, the experience is like dipping a french fry in baba ghanoush; indigestible and imbalanced as a whole, but with true, unadulterated flavors shining through.


5/5 Why Do People Think Shakespeare Is Boring?
  by tvtv3 (Sorento, IL United States)
As director Billy Morrissette points out in a preview accompanying the movie, SCOTLAND, PA is Macbeth but for high school students who struggle with Shakespeare, who are stoned, or both.
Shakespeare's tale of the Scottish warrior turned king is moved from medieval Scotland to 1970s America. Norm Duncan (James Reborn) owns a popular local diner named Duncan's. He's a respective businessman in the small town of Scotland, PA and his hardest-working employee is Joe "Mac" McBeth (James LeGros). Mac's best friend, Anthony "Banko" Banconi (Kevin Corrigan) gives Mac some inside information about some embezzling that the manager, Douglas McKenna (Josh Pais), is involved in. Mac and his wife, Pat (Maura Tierney), Doug in the act, inform Duncan, and watch as he's fired and thrown out of the restaurant. Mac thinks it's his big break, but Duncan only promotes him to Assistant Manager. Tired of being an "underachiever trying to make up for lost time", Pat convinces Mac to take drastic action. She wants Mac to kill Duncan, but he can't bring himself to kill the man. But gravity takes over and Mac doesn't have to. Thus begins a rise to power for the McBeths who watch over as the business blossoms. Duncans becomes McBeth's, a fast food restaurant complete with the first drive-thru window in town and a French fry truck that drives around town delivering free French fries. But something's rotten in the town of Scotland and a big shot police detective named McDuff (Christopher Walken) is assigned to investigate Duncan's murder. As McDuff unravels what has happened, the McBeth's struggle to hold on to the happy life they have now acquired, no matter what the cost.

The movie does an excellent job at updating the story of Macbeth for modern audiences. The film does skip some of the psychological buildup of Act IV of the play and the ending seems a bit rushed (that's partially because of finances and time issues with the filmmakers). Nevertheless, the heart of the story remains intact. Also, unlike the play (which except for witches farting and the Porter, has very little comic relief) the movie is very funny. It's a dark tragic-comedy. I was an English major and I teach English and I love the movie. However, I know that there are some diehard Shakespeare buffs who are upset that the film cuts so much out from the original play. I don't have an issue with it because the movie stays true to the spirit of the original play.

Overall, a highly entertaining and imaginative update of Macbeth that any Shakespeare fan or movie buff should see at least once. Also recommended for reluctant high school students and stoners.

5/5 Walken is as good as ever
  by Nathan Thoms (Bangor, ME, US)
In his directorial debut, Billy Morrissette brings us the best adaption of William Shakespeare to date in the world of film: 'Scotland, PA.' Morrissette, also the writer of this movie, effectively adapts the classic tale of MacBeth into the blue collar world of a fast food restaurant in the 1970s. Joe McBeth (James LeGros) and Pat McBeth (Maura Tierney) are a pair of workers in a local fast food restaurant called Duncan's, but Joe has many ideas for innovations and the pair conspire to murder the owner of Duncan's when their advancement is stifled and ideas are used by the management. This action brings into effect the remainder of the movie detailing a cover up reminiscent of A Simple Plan, but with the addition of absolutely brilliant comedic performances by the cast and writing on the part of the director. The murder itself, and the ensuing cover up, is investigated by the local police by Lieutenant Duff (Christopher Walken).

Chistopher Walken is absolutely brilliant in his role as Lt. McDuff, which either because of his style, or past performances, is only enhanced by the writing which Morrissette brings to the script and results in absolutely hysterical laughter from the audience. The soundtrack is perfectly fitting with both the modern and older elements brought into the film with an inspired mixture of classical works and classic rock songs from the seventies. Though 'Scotland, PA' is an exceptional movie, it could have been improved to remove the dragging feeling in several areas during the funeral scenes and introduction. Casting for the film could have been improved by the replacement of Maura Tierney as Pat McBeth as her performance degrades the overall quality of the picture. The adaptation of the three witches of Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection) with the three hippies of the 1970s is just one example of the quality of the adaption made by Morrissette. Despite the difficulties within it, 'Scotland, PA' remains a cinematic marvel worthy of Shakespeare and, if this first film is any indication of what should be expected in the future, a work very likely to launch Billy Morrissette out of the obscure independent film world and into Hollywood as Clerks (Collector's Series) did for Kevin Smith.

5/5 a winner
  by Recent Grad (Richmond, VA)
As an English major and English teacher, I am definitely not the audience this was intended for. In the commentary, the director says that it's all well and good if the typical Shakespeare lovers embrace the movie, but he's really making it for the pot smokers who've never even heard of Macbeth because they were too busy getting high to bother reading the play or even show up for class (loose paraphrase from what I remember when I watched this a year or two ago). But whether or not it was made for people like me, I loved it. Some of the low ratings have been attributed to the fact that it's just taking an old story and modernizing it. Sure, people who write stories from scratch deserve a ton of credit, but there is also a great deal of creativity involved in telling an extremely well known story in a totally fresh way. Scotland, PA succeeds there. There were also some complaints about the fact that they don't use the Shakespearean English in this adaptation. I personally enjoy watching new versions of Shakespeare's plays both ways--Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet speaks to me in a totally different way than West Side Story, but they both speak to me. I wish I could share this film with my students so they could see how "cool" Shakespeare can be. It would be a great example of the timelessness or the themes or the range of directors' interpretations. Alas, I doubt I'd ever get this one okayed by the administration...

And as a side note, I thought the music was awesome.

5/5 Magnificent Modern Macbeth
  by Shakespeare's Sister (New Jersey, USA)
This Shakespearian adaptation updates Macbeth to the 1970's and puts him in a diner in Scotland, PA. Macbeth's ambivalent ambition but submission to his sexy wife (played formidably by former ER nurse, Maura Tierney) is developed nicely in this film. It is easily understood by a modern audience. Christopher Walken is hysterical as vegeterian Detective MacDuff and makes Macduff a vivid, rounded character.

Note to teachers: preview the film before showing it to students. There is cursing and there are two scenes which you may find questionable and want to censor. I think it is fine for High School Juniors and Seniors, but more conservative teachers/ districts may object to it.