RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Special
Special

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Special (2008)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
25 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:8

Fresh:2

Rotten:6

Average Rating:4.6/10

Consensus: This quirky indie comedy's low budget is readily apparent, but it's elevated by Michael Rapaport's dedicated performance.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language, some violence and brief drug use.

Runtime: 82 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Nov 21, 2008 Limited

Synopsis: Les Franken (MICHAEL RAPAPORT) is a kind-hearted and soft-spoken man who loves reading comic books. He’s the type of guy who most people walk by on the street without even noticing; in essence,... Les Franken (MICHAEL RAPAPORT) is a kind-hearted and soft-spoken man who loves reading comic books. He’s the type of guy who most people walk by on the street without even noticing; in essence, he’s completely average and virtually invisible.

However, everything changes for Les the day he is accepted into an experimental drug study for a new and exciting anti-depressant, Specioprin Hydrochloride. As Les begins to take the drugs an unexpected side effect occurs – he begins to develop special powers: the ability to levitate, to read peoples’ minds, and even walk through walls.

Faced with the dilemma of how best to utilize his new “powers,” the answer seems obvious to Les. He puts together a homemade superhero suit and hits the streets to fight crime and protect the world from the forces of evil.

Surveillance video soon exposes Les and his actions to the public via television news and therefore brings him to the attention of the businessmen developing the drug. Worried about the bad publicity Les is bringing to their new anti-depressant, they attempt to put an end to his superhero antics before too much damage is done. However, in typical comic book fashion, Les sees the men from the drug company as his evil arch nemeses – “The Suits”— men who want him to join them in their evil plan to use ‘Special’ to create an army of unstoppable assassins. Les refuses to play ball. --© Magnolia Pictures [More]

Starring: Michael Rapaport, Paul Blackthorne, Josh Peck, Robert Baker

Starring: Michael Rapaport, Paul Blackthorne, Josh Peck, Robert Baker, Jack Kehler, Alexandra Holden, Ian Bohen, Christopher Darga

Director: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore

Director: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore
Screenwriter: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore
Producer: Edward Parks, Frank Mele
Composer: Tom Wolfe, Manish Raval
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 6

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Mar 31, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Les Franken (MICHAEL RAPAPORT) is a kind-hearted and soft-spoken man who loves reading comic books. He’s the type of guy who most people walk by on the street without even noticing; in essence, he’s completely average and virtually invisible.
  • However, everything changes for Les the day he is accepted into an experimental drug study. As he begins to take the drugs, an unexpected
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Special

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    1 - 8 (sorted by date)
    Text View
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     

    I just thought it was a cool indie film with a great leading performance from an actor we don’t usually get to see in a lead.

    Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
    11/24/08
    Ben Lyons
    Ben Lyons
    At the Movies
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    The premise is intriguing, and the film is occasionally amusing, but it feels stuck between a completely satirical farce and an aching drama.

    Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
    11/24/08
    Ben Mankiewicz
    Ben Mankiewicz
    At the Movies
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Rappaport does a yeoman's job in this tonally confused oddity.

    Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
    11/21/08
    Lou Lumenick
    Lou Lumenick
    New York Post
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    It may not be perfect, but this under-the-radar indie from Hal Haberman and Jeremy Passmore is smart enough to leave you glad you found it.

    Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
    11/21/08
    Elizabeth Weitzman
    Elizabeth Weitzman
    New York Daily News
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Ultimately it adds little to our understanding of the curious return of the superhero as our paradigmatic pop archetype.

    comment Comment
    11/21/08
    Nathan Lee
    Nathan Lee
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Thanks to Rapaport's brio in embracing the hero's drug-induced delusions, the movie is less a failure than a noble experiment gone awry.

    Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
    11/20/08
    Adam Markovitz
    Adam Markovitz
    Entertainment Weekly
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Rappaport's befuddled sincerity has never registered so poignantly, but given its singular premise, for the film to waste an easy opportunity to satirize vigilante do-goodery and pharmaceutical dependence is, well, villainous.

    Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
    11/19/08
    Aaron Hillis
    Aaron Hillis
    Village Voice
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Special enjoyably toys with some knockabout comedy until it begins to take itself too seriously.

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    06/03/08
    Robert Koehler
    Robert Koehler
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
     
     
    1 - 8 (sorted by date)
    Text View
    all

    Latest News for Special

    November 27, 2008: Prankster moviemaking about a superhero duel with p-harm-aceutical barons, certain to make the deadly warnings whispered in all those gleeful drug commercials flooding TV sets across America, to never sound quite the same again. Opens in new window
    More...

    November 14, 2008: Prankster moviemaking about a superhero duel with p-harm-aceutical barons, certain to make the deadly warnings whispered in all those gleeful drug commercials flooding TV sets across America, to never sound quite the same again. Opens in new window
    More...

    November 03, 2008: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
    More...

    January 26, 2006: SUNDANCE: Weinberg's Sundance Scorecard
    With Senh, Jen, and Terrible Tim Ryan roaming the streets of Park City, the Tomato readers have had plenty of Sundance reports to pick through. But I thought I'd contribute my... More...

    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    66% 66% Public Enemies
    83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
    44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
    75% 75% Julie & Julia
    32% 32% Terminator Salvation

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    88% 88% Inglourious Basterds
    78% 78% The Hangover
    49% 49% Taking Woodstock
    26% 26% The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
    47% 47% The Girl From Monaco

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Sherlock Holmes

    Sherlock Holmes

    New clips from the detective reboot!

    Alice in Wonderland

    Alice in Wonderland

    Check out the brand new trailer now!

    Awards Tour

    Awards Tour

    Keep up with latest nominations and awards!

    Friday Harvest

    Friday Harvest

    This week's best pics, vids, and posters!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
    12
    • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
    102
    • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
    1
    • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
    19
    • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
    32
    • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
    28
    • Tobey Maguire Refutes Hobbit Rumors Source: Hollywood Reporter
    9
    • Prince of Persia Featurette Posted Source: Yahoo! Movies
    4
    • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
    61
    • Mel Gibson Plans a Mexican Vacation Source: Variety
    8
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Critics Consensus: Avatar Is Certified Fresh
    264
    • Awards Tour 2009: Golden Globe Noms Here!
    145
    • Total Recall: James Cameron Movies
    88
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
    70
    • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
    44
    • Awards Tour 2009: SAG Nominations Are In!
    41
    • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
    38
    • Weekly Ketchup: Bryan Singer Teaches X-Men: First Class
    34
    • Awards Tour 2009: The Hurt Locker Dominates Boston Society of Film Critics
    18
    • Awards Tour 2009: LAFCA: The Hurt Locker Tops List
    12
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
    21
    • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
    2
    • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
    17
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    12
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    23
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    8
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    24
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    9
    • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
    29
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • Special at Rotten Tomatoes

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    MSN's Year in Review
    MSN's Year in Review External Link

    Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

    Moviefone's Year End Movie Poll
    Moviefone's Year End Movie Poll External Link

    What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!

    Tarantino's Characters
    Tarantino's Characters External Link

    Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

    Top 10 Movies of 2009
    Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

    TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

    Top 20 of the Decade
    Top 20 of the Decade External Link

    Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.