I love this film. It's a bittersweet tale of life, loneliness, expectancy, and fulfilment.

The acting is superb, the storyline is original. The director gives the audience all the information in a concise way, enabling the viewers to immediately understand the scenario, and be able to both laugh at and sympathise with the protagonist throughout the rest of the movie.

Rapaport is incredible. His performance is under-stated and fits the character and the situation like a glove.

There is nothing wrong with this film at all. It's clever, it's funny, it's sad, and most of all, it's entertaining. I could watch this film over and over again. I was touched in the end. This is a lovely film.

Just saw this film at the Edinburgh film festival, nearly went to see something else instead and i'm so glad i didn't! First half of the film is very funny, lots of ridiculous yet sorrowful scenes of the main characters self belief in his own superpowers.

I rarely find "comedy " films in any way amusing, but found myself crying with laughter at a lot of this.Very subtle, believable performances which make it heartrending when most of the laughs give way to a film dripping with sadness and important comments about the way we live today, and the search to find something important and special within ourselves. Film looks beautiful too, lots of strange fluorescent lighting. I can't rave about this film enough, its such a gem. Hilariously sad if that makes any sense....

Special is a very enjoyable movie that includes some of the best acting by Michael Rapaport and an extremely promising debut from first time directors Hal Haberman & Jeremy Passmore. The movie is shot on a low budget which negatively effects the look of the film as well as the music and titling. The story and acting however rise above this and create a very entertaining and ultimately gratifying movie.

Rapaport's role as a delusional meter maid who thinks he becomes a superhero is one that the audience can laugh at, yet identify with. The film does a great job of balancing the humor with drama and Rapaport plays out his character very well. I was skeptical before I saw the film but any hesitations I had were gone by the end of the first act.

Writer and directors Hal Haberman & Jeremy Passmore did an incredibly good job with the script. The movie seemed to remain alive throughout the duration of the film with very few slow points. Again, the blend of humor and drama was amazing and Hal & Jeremy showed capability beyond most seasoned Hollywood filmmakers.

I just saw this film at the Hollywood pacific, the debut feature of a pair of recent USC grads, and I was blown away. The basic premise could have been taken in so many silly and campy directions, but instead they choose to play it in a way that is hilarious and yet almost sad, which gives us this wonderful melancholy feel. The doctor is hilarious, right from the first genius telepathy scene. I was surprised how much I was laughing and then suddenly cringing and then saddened within the span of a few seconds, it was an amazing and sophisticated directing job to get me to that place and not ever pull me out of it.

In the end though, the thing that really makes the film is Michael Rappaport. My god, he plays what could have been campy lines (not to say they are badly written, in fact the writing is absolutely stellar, its just that this was a difficult role to "pull off) with the utmost delicacy and sincerity, and I for one became totally entombed in his character purely on his charisma and the everyman melancholic charm he possesses in spades and has made use of ever since I saw him for the first time in "Beautiful Girls". Really, I want him to win awards for his difficult and touching part in this film.

Go out and see this great movie if you can. If this movie is in your neck of the woods, and your searching for something to do on a cheap matinée Monday night, this is your ticket. Your week will be better because of it. Actually, pay full price for this movie because its worth it. And because the directors and actors deserve the extra $5.00 or what have you.

I got the privilege of seeing this film at its opening night in the Zurich Film Festival. A little treat followed after the movie with a Q & A with writer and co-director Jeremy Passmore. This USC grad and his home-e came up on a whim with the idea of this movie, and within 18 months ( 18 days of shooting) made this feature. The movie itself: great storyline with phenomenal acting by one of my favorites M. Rapp. He was undeniably crucial in making this movie seem 'real'. So fabulous was this 'low' budget superhero movie. Fabulous. The characters, the foundation, the storyline, imagination ... the believability and emotional recognition for the characters ... it all was there. Made me want to laugh, made me want to cry and made me want to change the world. Awesome. That is what movies are supposed to make you feel. Hats off to these two directors and their crew with their first film ( which they were going to put on CCards before they got backing from agencies ... among other things) From what Jeremy was saying, everyone was supremely underpaid and overworked, but in the end, all knew that the finished product was worth more than anything. One of my top 10 for 2006.

Best movie at the Austin Film Festival. One of the best movies of the year. Funny, emotional, and one of the few recent movies that is generally unpredictable.

Michael Rapaport is brilliant. He has a subtlety about him that I did not expect from his TV show, "The War at Home." He has scenes of great physical comedy, and emotional scenes that nearly brought a tear to my eye.

I don't want to give away anything about the story. The log-line gives all the information for you to know what the movie is about. Seek this movie out. Take your friends with you.

It is too easy for us to just exist throughout our lives. It is up to us as individuals to make ourselves truly Special.

at first when the film started i thought it was going to be a long drawn out cheap indie film but i loved it, this film had the same feel to it as darko did but with this film i was not left feeling confused and bewildered, the acting in this film is the same class of such classics like darko and eternal sunshine of the spotless mind that you don't realise that there is no big names in this film but you are sure that they will be in big films to come. so if independent movies are your thing this film is a must see. P.S there is a lot of super hero films coming out at the moment(spiderman 3 fantastic 4.2) but non of them will make you think like this film does

Aside from the time I spilled hot coffee on my lap during "Fiddler on the Roof", I'd say this is one of the most powerful experiences I've had while watching a movie.

This quirky gem of a film is 25% comedy, 25% tragedy, 25% feel-good, 25% depressing, and 100% awesome. Starting off with the most preposterous plot (i.e., a lonely metermaid guy develops special abilities and fights crime while running from strange men in suits), it quickly develops into much more than meets the eye. It's essentially the story of the lone, forgotten individual who's trying to make a difference in this world. In that respect, it can be a sad film. But at the same time it can be funny, warm and deeply inspiring.

Thanks largely to an absolutely brilliant performance by Michael Rapaport as the metermaid guy, this movie takes you on a crazy ride through every emotion you've ever had and some you haven't had yet. I laughed, felt sad, felt angry, felt the warm fuzzies, felt pity and felt empowered. I can't remember the last time I cared so much about a movie character. It's funny because I began watching this film not liking him very much (after all, who likes metermaids??), but quickly he became one of the most lovable misfits since "Amélie".

Never have I seen the plight of the superhero so wonderfully presented and fleshed out in human terms. Whether we wear a cape or not, we're all trying to change the world in our own ways. You, yes you sitting there reading this, could be a superhero. This movie presents us with that idea, and (unlike Spiderman, Batman, Catwoman, etc) it does not slip into fantasy territory where we lose touch with our perspective. Instead it remains firmly rooted in reality and thus allows us to see ourselves in the hero's role. That's where this movie draws its power to affect us. It's the story of us all. Watch it and learn about yourself & the people around you.

Other great, obscure movies that this reminded me of: a Michael Keaton film called "The Merry Gentleman" (2008), a must-see Korean movie called "The Foul King" (2000), and a powerful Australian flick called "Noise" (2007).

I saw this movie a few days ago at the new Toronto After Dark Film Festival. First off, this movie was a little more serious than I thought it was going to be after seeing the trailer. Fear not, it has plenty of funny moments though! I was impressed by the fact it was, in a way, a movie where the underdog (such as a kid bullied by the more popular kids) comes back to win in the end without being one of the typical Hollywood 'feel-good' or 'after-school special' movies. At least that was from my point of view.

Rapaport was perfect in this movie. I cannot imagine anyone else playing Les. From his portrayal of being a simple guy with a simple life, to his slide downhill into mental illness, he played the role to a T. He seemed to give himself completely to the character, but was never over the top. He made the character real.

Go see this movie when it comes out. You won't be disappointed.

A solid movie of the kind Hollywood can't make. A small but excellent cast tell a small but engrossing story of a normal man who wants to be something else.

Rapport really steals/carries this, and his performance is flawless. The supporting cast are also all solid with Alexandra Holden doing a particularly stand-out job as the brilliantly understated love interest.

If there is an off note anywhere in the film, it is the ending which slightly strains credulity but, more to the point, is not really clear in what it is trying to say.

A film well worth watching, and talking about afterward.

I was lucky enough to attend the UK premiere of Special as part of the Edinburgh Film Festival. I had been looking forward to seeing the film for months and I was not left disappointed.

The basic premise of the film is as follows; Les Franken (played by Michael Rapaport) enrols in a testing programme for a new drug named Specioprin Hydrochloride. A side effect of the drug causes him to believe has developed superhuman powers such as levitation and mind reading. He then decides, against the advice of his doctor and his friends, to use these "powers" to fight crime.

I was only familiar with Michael Rapaport through his role as Pheobe's one time boyfriend on Friends and I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. He is instantly likable as a character which of course is essential as he in every single scene of the film.

The main reason that I went to see this film was Josh Peck, who gives yet another staggeringly good performance as Joey, a stoner who works in a comic book store. This film only further solidified my belief that Josh is the greatest actor of all time. Most people will be familiar with him through his Nickelodeon show, Drake and Josh. His role in Special, like his role in Mean Creek also, will likely shock those who think they can pigeonhole him.

The film constantly walks the line between the humorous and the intense. The first half of the film offers a few laughs at Rapaport's delusion however things turn sinister in the latter half with some extremely violent scenes.

Another thing to note about the film is the sublime soundtrack. The scoring was lovely, and reminiscent of Michael Andrews' work in Me and You and Everyone We Know.

There was a Q&A with the films producers after the screening where they said the film would be released in the USA in early 2007, and late 2006 in the UK.

What makes us special? Not much, really, especially in the world created in this movie. Michael Rapaport plays Les, a down-on-his luck meter maid (what's the male equivalent of a male maid? A meter dude?) stuck in a dead end life. He's single, lonely, eating gross microwave food and reading a lot of comic books. (That last part got a serious, sideways and long-suffering look from Kathleen.) What guy can't relate? The world Les lives in, and the real world, is bleak. That's why he, and many of us, seek escape in movies and comic books that allow us take part in the hero's journey vicariously. Les is lonely and sadder than most, so he signs up for a clinical trial to test a drug he thinks will give him superpowers. When he starts to manifest powers, he uses them to try and fight crime. But it's highly likely the powers are manifesting only in his mind as the drugs may be forcing a psychotic break.

The movie pits him against a nasty pharmaceutical company and his own demons. What we learn along the way is that the world doesn't need superheroes, we just need people willing to act like superheroes. And as Les indicates early on, that means always getting back up, no matter what bad guys throw at you, or what life throws at you. From asteroids and laser beams to dead end jobs and emotional minefields associated with dating, true bravery is always just getting back up. And the hero's journey — though often spiffed up for cultural consumption — is really just continuing to trudge forward when every muscle fiber in your body screams to give up.

A couple of things of note. First, clinical trials are not skeezy and there are many oversights and controls to prevent just such abuse. It makes for a fun movie, but outside of the big screen, they are closely monitored. Second, Alexandra Holden as Maggie, an intersecting love interest who is marginally differently-abled, was tremendous.

I greatly enjoyed this movie, and Rapaport, but I may have been conditioned to like it -- I cheerfully admit to reading way to many comics (like Elephantmen and The Boys).

-- www.cowboyandvampire.com --

The idea of 'drug reaction causes man to think he has superpowers' definitely has potential, but this film didn't fulfill it. Aside from bad acting by everyone but Michael Rapaport (and who knows how he would have done if he'd been forced off his one note), there was questionable characterization (is the Simpson's Comic Book Guy really a believable model for a store proprietor?) and unbelievable situations (none of his friends called 911? Not even when he was injured, obviously delusion and locked in a store bathroom overnight? No police officer recognized him in all the time he wandered around in that singular getup?). Further the 'rich, evil corporation owner' plot is due for a rest.

Switching the viewer in and out of Rapaport's character's point-of-view was an effective way to heighten tension, though: even with our knowledge of 'what was really happening' it was difficult not to view things from Les's perspective.

An introverted meter maid attempts to change his pathetic personal life by participating in an anti-anxiety drug study, but quickly runs into some psychotic side-effects. When the drug alters his perception of reality, his mind takes the cue to mean he's developed super powers, which he immediately applies to the streets as a self-styled hero. A dark comedy that's quite similar to Rainn Wilson's odd superhero send-up Super, it's often hopelessly lost in the deep, complicated middle ground between absurdist comedy and bleak, grizzled reality. Character actor and stand-up comic Michael Rapaport plays a good sympathetic lead, but his naive nature and good intentions only make the tribulations he endures that much more difficult for the viewing audience. It's a light, energetic first act that's backed by a tough, distressed greater story, and the frequent reminders that the protagonist is hallucinating steal most of the drama from its root concept. A troubling little package that can't quite settle its own private identity crisis.

I just saw SPECIAL!, at the BIFFF (Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film), it is a good film. A guy trapped in his everyday life as a low class police agent and his passion for Comic books and their super heroes. Depressed (or completely manic depressive) we see the story through his eyes and his voice explains what happens, under medical advise, he tries a new medication that supposes to cure his mental problems but in fact enhances his super powers ( flying or more like levitation, telepathy, intangibility,...) or so it seems until we see what other characters notice; meaning nothing... or the hero walking to a wall,banging on it, falling on the floor then getting up after some minutes with a broken nose and sure that he went through it and back. The scene could be hilarious, it is just funny, not because it doesn't work but more because it does work:

it is so well done that you are with the main character: embarrassed for him; that kind of sweet and sour humour, dark comedy. It follows the "classic rules" of a comic book (hero discovers his powers, hero battles small crimes and experiments, hero in love, hero and his main nemesis). Like that, this movie is "just on the edge", it walks the thin line between comedy and drama, action and fantasy and it is working most of the time. Then you wonder how it will end,such a delicate treatment needs an appropriate ending; I wont say anything about that, just that after an hour, the movie is still good but loses it originality and repeats a bit itself ...the end is OK but not as good as the rest of the film.

For me all that prevents the motion picture to score better. I just mentioned the small details that are negative because the rest of the movie (and most of it) is great, low key and low budget but clearly the directors knew that and didn't try to do stuff that wouldn't work on screen. The positive points : the acting mainly Michael Rapaport, the screenplay and the music.

I give this movie an extra point for the way it portrays this man's descent into total confusion about whether he has super powers or not. It's not easy for a superhero in this hood, and this fellow really tries hard to do the right thing but .. umm... well... you'll see.

PLOT: A man that is not entirely aware of his surroundings due to an obvious mental handicap seeks a pill that will make him a better person than he is. Could it be that he is now SUPER? or SPECIAL? He sure seems to think so and he's very enthusiastic about his new powers to fight crime.

This movie is not a date movie since it can be a turn off to someone if you are the only part of the pair laughing your ass off at the retard. -awkward!!

The idea of someone having an adverse reaction to a drug and plotting a movie around that has not been done, at least not very often before. The plot was good, with several holes, but over all, it can be forgiven. The same can be said for the characters, Even the cliché brother duo 'villains' played their roles well enough that the cliché can be forgiven.

What can't be forgiven, is the most obvious thing I noticed in this film. I have read reviews by other people who mention a movie having bad, or shaky filming, but most of the time I never notice. But this movie, the filming is so shaky its ridiculous. I felt like I was watching a high school made movie from that alone, not even enough credit for a college movie.

I will try to avoid bashing this movie, because for the most part I didn't mind it. It was a decent time passer, but a few more things I have to mention are the music, and the ending, the 'comedy', and the subjective viewing of the movie.

The movie has you see both sides of the scenario at times, seeing how his friends see what happens and how he sees it. But at times, it makes it confusing if not impossible to follow what is happening. **Spoiler** For example, the scene in the park where the brother is chasing him, he teleports behind him and punches him in the face. Honestly there is no explanation given for this or a few other things that happen, like him getting from his friends car to the top of a building in a split second. It was as if the people making this movie didn't know if they actually WANTED him to have powers or for it to be in his head.

This movie is in no way shape or form a comedy. From the very bleak outlook of every situation and the dark and serious tones of most every scene, to the extremely poor choice of music even for a sad movie, this movie was nothing but depressing. Not a tragedy, i can't give it that much credit, just depressing to watch and listen to.

And my last qualm on my mind is the ending. If you are going to make a movie like this, you need to have a good ending, with a lesson or a reason, or something that makes sense to the madness. You do NOT have the main character say what he says, then completely ruin what he just said, then just end it with no real closure in the slightest.. I would have rated it lower, but I really didn't hate it. It was a decent movie if you are looking for something a little different.

Honestly, this movie is in no way funny - although it could have been, and although it sometimes really made the impression that it was somehow intended to be funny. But it was just tragic. And what was really annoying, was the soundtrack, which was so entirely depressing and really got me close to turn off the movie at times, because it added such a thoroughly negative atmosphere. I couldn't help thinking "if anyone laughs at this, they have a serious empathy problem". Plus i believe, because of the way the story was told and the emotional bias thats created, this movie really drowned somehow. And it surely could have been, fore-mentioned negatives put aside, a pretty good one.

I love this movie! Everyone should see it! The most underrated film ever! four stars! I laughed, I cried and in the end my life was changed! Okay enough with the ass kissing. Let me tell you what it's about. Les is a loser who likes to read comics. He volunteers for an experiment to take a new drug. The drug causes him to believe he has super powers and he becomes a superhero. But the drug company finds out about this and try to stop him.

I know this sounds like an off the way silly comedy, but is not. It is serous and has a lot of heart. Watching this movie you will find yourself caring about the characters. His pain will become your pain, he happiness will become your happiness. This is what every underdog story should be.

I'm surprised I wrote that since I am tired of underdog stories. But this movie really brings out the nobody becoming somebody and then facing an unstoppable force story.

The movie is directed and written by Hal Haberman and Jeremy Passmore who I hope to see more of in the coming years. They should have a bright future in movie making. Michael Rapaport gives a performance of a life time. I really didn't think he had it in him. I thought he was a crappy sitcom star that can't act but he proved me wrong. Michael rapaport is Oscar worthy.

The Production is very good considering the budget. There is not one shot in the movie that looks fake. The set design and locations fit well with the story.

In closing Special is great movie that you should watch.

It is indeed may not be a film for everyone, and does require a certain acquired taste when it comes to enjoying even small budget flicks. So don't go in expecting a blockbuster. In fact, I think even as far as low budgets go this one might be in its own category. i think the crew may actually had to pay to be in it.. Luckily that is where the list of negatives end, because as far as the acting and the plot are concerned, they're top notch.

OK, so Michael Rappaport is not considered an "A" list actor ,but in this he definitely delivers one of his best performances to date. i thought this was one of the funniest movies i rented without knowing anything about it prior. (I don't think they actually spent a dime on advertising since i ve never heard of it before. ) I 'd hate to put spoilers in the review so i wont, because if you like low budget flicks, you really need to see it for yourself! Again, as long as you don't mind low tech sci fi! I think the only CGI might be during the opening credits...

ps: I did give it a 9 for the acting and the originality.

This movie is a treasure. Michael Rapaport perfectly plays the part of the downtrodden protagonist Les, absolutely luring us in with his character's purity of heart. Without being gimmicky or vague, Haberman and Passmore's direction and writing achieve a complex balancing act in terms of what is really happening with Les. There is pathos, humor, and, ultimately, a tale that speaks to the underdog in each of us. Note the name of the lead character: Les, as in "less." Michael Rapaport has been around as an actor for a while now, but I can't say I've seen him in anything else. As Les in "Special" he has definitely made an outstanding first impression.

Special is a well-made movie. The visual style and performances work excellently to build characters and situations that we care about. Unfortunately, the filmmakers' overeagerness to create drama and catharsis undermine the premise of the film and strain suspension of disbelief beyond the breaking point. Michael Rappaport's mild- mannered schlub Les joins a clinical trial for an antidepressant. Shortly after beginning his dosage, he gains super powers. Or does he? Unfortunately, the film doesn't let the ambiguity linger: the first time he shows off his powers to his doctor, we see from an objective perspective that they're all in his head. The doctor instructs him to stop the dosage, while Les hears him "telepathically" encourage him to continue and enhance his powers. He dons a costume and sets out to fight crime, tackling random people and drawing attention from the police. While running from cops, he gets picked up by the two wealthy young sponsors of the drug, who tell him to stop taking it, since his adverse reaction could ruin their chances of marketing their product. And here is where the movie ceases to play by its own rules. The main source of dramatic tension is the contrast between Les' delusions of being super powered, and everyone else's recognition of his actual normalcy. A strong hook with a lot of potential. However, this dynamic depends on other people's reactions to Les being recognizable as the kind of thing a normal, sane person would do. But this is not the case. Firstly the villainous sponsors. After thousands of successful cases, one subject with side effects will destroy the marketability the drug? Rather than simply putting a warning label "0.01 % of users may experience hallucinations, paranoia," or bribing some bureaucrat, they seem to think the best way to deal with the Les problem is by bribing him, the guy they think is crazy, even after he stabs Jonas in the ear with a chopstick. They later try to beat him to death and run him over, as a plan B. Wholly unbelievable. After escaping his would be murderers, Les runs to his local convenience store and throws himself, bleeding and exhausted, at the mercy of the checkout clerk, whom he once tried to ask out. It turns out she has a severe stutter, which is why she didn't respond to him before. How could a woman with a prohibitive speech impediment hold a job where she has to talk to customers all the time? Then, telling her he "finished the bottle of pills," Les convinces her to let him stay the night in the store bathroom. Who in their right mind would let someone with severe head wounds and a possibly lethal drug overdose go to sleep, instead of going to the hospital? I understand why the filmmakers put these scenes in: so Les can overcome adversaries and engage in a sweet character moment. But they are simply too absurd to accept, and pulled me out of the story completely. The film is still worth watching, but could have been so much better if it simply committed to its premise and avoided the illogical melodrama.

The acting was tolerable...but who could really care about the acting. The movie was boring, the story line was idiotic, I don't have enough time to write how much my wife and I hated this movie. At this very moment I can't even say why I sat through the whole thing...bad bad boring movie.

One last comment...a comedy...are you serious??!?!?! This was a depressing story about a guy who loses everything because he was prescribed a medication that had really bad side effects. That in no way shape or form is a comedy...a tragedy yes...but a comedy...I think not. Did I say this was a bad movie yet....?

A bunch of us saw SPECIAl at the Sac Film Festival yesterday and i gotta say that it was absolutely amazing. the performance that Michael Rapaport gives in this tiny film is the best he's given in his lengthy career. He's in every frame of this film from start to finish and he does not disappoint. So much different from his role in THE WAR AT HOME. You've got to see him in this.

The rest of the cast rocks too. Josh Peck is in it along with Jack Kehler (that crazy landlord from The Big Lewbowski who does that awesome dancing) and even that bartender from FIGHTCLUB! Great casting.

I can't wait to see it again! The producer who was there at the screening said the theatrical release is being planned for early Fall of 2007 starting in a few cities with DVDs coming soon after.

i can't wait! i need SPECIAL NOW! -wolfpack88

It took me quite a while to get past the cinematography. I could find no reason why the entire film was shot hand-held. It brought nothing to the story and was extremely distracting until I got past it and and started appreciating the acting and story. All DP's and directors should know when to put the camera on sticks and trust the actors to bring motion and emotion to the frame. The music was another stumbling bock for me. Extremely obvious and over the top choices were made throughout - and what's truly unfortunate is that I recognized a number of loops that were used in creating the score. Not a good sign. Having said all of this - I still laud the writers and directors for their effort and the actors for their work as well.