"Ex Drummer" is the first (at least, to my knowledge) adaptation of a novel written by Herman Brusselmans. That name might not ring many bells on a worldwide basis, but over here in our small and beloved Belgium country, he's an infamous and hugely eccentric media figure. Brusselmans could be described best as an Artistic Anarchist, in appearance as well as in behavior and ideals. His face looks like it's under a permanent influence of drugs, he probably hasn't cut or washed his hair since the late 60's and when he's attending a TV talk or game show he usually ends up insulting the host and the audience. Just in case you're interested in having a friendly chat with Brusselmans, look for the darkest and most rancid bars in the Flemish part of Belgium and you'll probably find him there, sitting within a cloud of cigarette smoke and behind a bunch of emptied beer bottles. Needless to say Brusselmans' books are as extraordinary as the author himself; meaning rather rather low on substance and narrative structure but very rich on provocative statements, politically incorrect opinions and controversial themes. The novel "Ex Drummer", and consequently the film as well, is actually just a relentless observation of Belgian society, through the eyes of a cynical self-acclaimed intellect, which spares absolutely nothing or nobody. Anyone who watches this film will presumably find something that personally offends him/her, as the script mocks homosexuals, handicapped persons (physically as well as mentally),people of lower social classes, immigrants, musicians, politicians, feminists and actually just men & women in general.

The main storyline revolves on three losers living in Ostend, a popular Belgian city by the coast. They want to form a rock band to participate in a local talent contest, but they haven't got a drummer yet and therefore approach Dries, who's the narrator and sort of represents the semi-biographical version of Herman Brusselmans himself. The band's singer is a hyperactive misogynist who beats up women for entertainment and only finds affection in the arms of the bald and elderly mother of one of the other band members, the bass player is gay and keeps his sickly father tied down in his bedroom and the deaf & aggressive guitarist totally neglects his one-year-old daughter but blames his stoned wife when she eats the content of her own diaper and dies. If you think these characters are demented, just wait until you meet some of the supportive ones! One of the band's competitors is appropriately named 'big cock' and he proudly demonstrates the impact of his enormous manhood by forcing his wife to show off her ruined vagina. The gay roadies enjoy spreading AIDS through unsafe sex and at one point (the highlight?) the film even glorifies pedophilia and incest, as there's a young woman on the constant lookout for a man who can give her the same sexual satisfaction her father did when she was six years old. So… in case all this sound controversial enough for you, welcome to Belgium!

"Ex Drummer" isn't the best but definitely one of the most unique films I've ever seen. If I really must compare this movie to others, I'd say combine the shocking themes & trashy filming styles of "Irreversible", "Trainspotting", "Kids", "Ken Park" and "The Doom Generation". Then, multiply the result by ten and you can form yourself an idea of the shock 'n trash level featuring in "Ex Drummer". Of course, if you put it like that, it doesn't sound like the most accessible film and it certainly won't increase tourism for Belgium any time soon, but rest assured "Ex Drummer" is also a tremendously fun and amusing picture! Especially if you don't have any morals or don't care too much about human emotions, the dialogs and monologues are often laugh-out-loud funny and ingenious. The swearing and insulting becomes even more hysterical since every character talks in his/her own personal dialect and doesn't hesitate to emphasize his/her opinions by showing off intimate body parts. Near the end the film even more becomes a true & genuine exploitation flick, with bloody splatter and gory massacres.

Purely talking from a more technical point of view, "Ex Drummer" naturally isn't your average by-the-numbers cinematic accomplishment, neither. The cinematography and editing are extremely chaotic and even the calmest human beings will get nervous from seeing some of the visual camera-tricks featuring in this movie, like entire sequences shot backwards and characters that almost exclusively appear on the screen upside-down. Like a friend of mine appropriately said, watching "Ex Drummer" must have the same effect as licking a poisonous toad and experience a nearly two hours lasting acid-trip. Director Koen Mortier obviously worships novelist Herman Brusselmans and blindly processes his writing style into the film without adding too much of his own trademarks. Not that it's really necessary to add anything, as the film is already hectic enough as it is. Considering it's fundamentally a movie about a rock band, the film has a heavy soundtrack (Mongoloid! Mongoloid!) and very rough sound effects. Don't even think about watching it if you're already suffering from a headache or migraine. Here's the hoping the film soon becomes available for trash-lovers and sick cinema puppies all around the globe. If not, move to Belgium and witness for yourself how messed up we are.

The movie revolves around a couple of band members, the most abnormal and unlikely people to be in a band. Okay so basically the band is formed with few handicapped people, which is sort of unique I guess and and they are also a bit of a lunatics. The movie has a grimy premise and the characters are grimy as well and offensive, but it's still exhilarating and the sort of innovative direction made it work. I also enjoyed the music in this movie and it worked really well with the atmosphere of this movie with it's scenarios. What starts off as forming of a band goes a bit more to the sock value area, but unfortunately the shock value isn't used all that effectively. All in all it wasn't all that effective and didn't do enough in some areas.

6.6/10

I'd like to start with the positive about 'Ex-Drummer.' The soundtrack was pretty good. Whew, now that's out of the way, let's really dissect this mess. The movie has no: likable, honorable or root-for characters; none. The movie has no: plot, just a shadow of one involving a devilish writer whose pleasure is to cause havoc on a "handicapped" band for his own amusement. The movie has no: beginning, middle or end; the movie was just there. I've heard this could be a cult hit and I agree: this drug-tripped, sadistic movie certainly belongs in a cult; it'd probably be good for recruitment. It would give good examples on how to mutate people, beat on homosexuals, the handicapped or handicapped homosexuals, use, abuse and hurt peers and family, violently rape both women and men and shout and swear at the top of your lungs as that seems to be the only "acceptable" form of communication. Aside from some stylish and ambitious scenes that certainly don't save the movie, I honestly can't see anyone enjoying this that's not into hard metal – the wonderful kind where you simply can't understand the singer's loud grunts and must participate in a painful mosh pit. To each his/her own, you might like this sad little movie. Heck, some people found comedy in it. Really, it's just depressing knowing there actually are people like these in the world.