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Sad-sack Schwimmer in a sorry tale

David Schwimmer schwims through Duane Hopwood, a post-Friends indie about an alcoholic Atlantic City pit boss, his fed-up ex (Janeane Garofalo), and the two young daughters caught in the bickering and angst.A fairly dreadful melodrama drenched in self-pity (Schwimmer's melancholy Duane) and featuring many a shot of its sad-sack protagonist pedaling a bike along a wintry Jersey Shore (his driver's license was revoked after he was collared on a DUI), the film was written and directed by actor and New Jersey native Matt Mulhern. It does capture a certain bleak poetry about Atlantic City's casinoscape and environs.

    by Steven Rea, INQUIRER MOVIE CRITIC
    Published 

David Schwimmer schwims through Duane Hopwood, a post-Friends indie about an alcoholic Atlantic City pit boss, his fed-up ex (Janeane Garofalo), and the two young daughters caught in the bickering and angst.

A fairly dreadful melodrama drenched in self-pity (Schwimmer's melancholy Duane) and featuring many a shot of its sad-sack protagonist pedaling a bike along a wintry Jersey Shore (his driver's license was revoked after he was collared on a DUI), the film was written and directed by actor and New Jersey native Matt Mulhern. It does capture a certain bleak poetry about Atlantic City's casinoscape and environs.

Garofalo, her hair dyed blond and her lips puffy and red, plays the spouse who is moving on (literally and figuratively) with as much grace and empathy as Mulhern's none-too-deep script allows. Schwimmer, looking bearded and bleary-eyed from his character's nonstop regimen of beers and shots, still can't escape his essential Schwimmeresqueness. His doleful puppy mug and quiet goofiness dominate the screen the way a sad clown portrait demands attention in a room of mediocre art.

Contact movie critic Steven Rea

at 215-854-5629 or srea@phillynews.com.

Duane Hopwood

* 1/2 (out of four stars)

Written and directed by Matt Mulhern. With David Schwimmer and Janeane Garofalo.

Running time: 1 hour, 25 mins.

Parent's guide: R (profanity, adult themes)

Playing at: Ritz Five. David Schwimmer will appear in person tonight and Saturday for the 7:15 and 9:45 p.m. shows.