Born Into Sh*t, a Czech film written and directed by Marcel Bystron, tells the stories of 3 members of one Czech family whose lives are constantly intertwining in the weirdest of ways.

The slacker Bosnian War veteran father (Ondrej Vetchy) is really an assassin who has himself been targeted for extermination, while the evangelical church leading mother (Jitka Jezkova) allows herself to be seduced and used by a homeless lesbian opportunity and the 13-year-old virginal son (Jiri Vohnout) is terrified of being a homosexual and sets out to prove that he's not.

Sound weird? It is.

In the style of films by Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie, Born Into Sh*t is trying so hard to amped up and stylized that Bystron leaves substance behind in this multi-layered tale that at times plays like Paul Haggis' Crash. The biggest problem is that Bystron tosses in so much to make the film unique that it becomes difficult to get invested in anyone's story.

The ensemble cast does a reasonable job, most notably Jiri Vohnout as the 13-year-old who becomes determined to prove that he's not homosexual, but the performances add up to a mostly forgettable, if occasionally visually interesting, cinematic experience.

Tech credits are generally fine, with Marek Tichy's camera work being a particular standout. Born Into Sh*t has been picked up for a DVD release by Seminal Films in Summer 2010. Visit the Seminal Films website for more information.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic