Bob Byington's RSO [Registered Sex Offender] is a pitch black comedy about a you guessed it, registered sex offender. The film opens in jail, following the RSO in his day-to-day routine. Shortly there after he is released and much of the film is spent capturing how reintegrating oneself back into society may actually be worse then being sent to prison in the first place. Being a low-budget film, RSO's filmmakers took advantage by giving the film this pseudo-documentary feel. The low-resolution digital photography and handheld camerawork are certainly appropriate in making the film feel extremely genuine. There are even several occurrences where the boom mic is visible in the frame but whether it's intentional or not it works given the tone and aesthetic of the film. RSO has a very comedic tone, with Gabriel McIver's lead performance being very likeable and engaging. Unfortunately this impacts the films attempts at constructing a social commentary on rehabilitation, as the comedic approach consumes the overall tone of the feature. This could have been the films intent entirely but there are a few scenes that suggest otherwise which makes the film uneven tonally. Bob Byington's RSO [Registered Sex Offender] is certainly an entertaining and comical experience but I wish the film would have tried to be more poignant in examining the struggle ex-convicts face in attempting to rehabilitate into society. 6.75/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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