Stoner Frog Turned Neo-Nazi Mascot ?
Feels Good Man (2020) by Arthur Jones: 7,9/10
Feels Good Man charts the devolution of a cartoon frog from comic book, to internet meme, to its unlikely arrival in the world of American politics.
When Matt Furie first penned Pepe in his cult comic book “Boys Club”, he couldn’t have imagined that the perma-stoned anthropomorphic frog who pees with his pants down would eventually become an officially recognised hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League. But, through various transformations over the internet, the unimaginable happened. On websites such as 4chan, Pepe went from a reaction picture, to meme, to crypto currency and finally to an alt-right icon. Through a mix of animation, archive footage and snippets of Furie’s life, Arthur Jones’s directorial debut tells Pepe’s story, and his creator’s attempts to reclaim him from his captors, in the name of peace and love.
Pepe’s story is a mangled web of converging plot lines full of juxtapositions and controversy, embedded in an embryonic yet powerful internet culture that we are only just beginning to understand. Partially set in the build-up to the 2016 US Presidential election, Jones’ feature not only depicts Pepe’s evolution but a cultural shift in which memes and internet culture spilled out into the real world, effecting socio-political discourse.
Feels Good Man does very well to stay balanced in its approach to dealing with some of the film’s darker, heavier themes of NEETs (Not in Employment Education or Training), racism and general hate-fuelled outrage. The film leaves you feeling sorry for those who appropriated Pepe, giving a human story to the faceless trolls of 4chan. This is not to say the film isn’t critical of the message they were spreading, but it is a reflection of both Furie’s and Jones’s marked benevolence toward all people. Jones states he wanted to ‘interrogate the systems that people are part of rather than the people themselves’, and this is made apparent throughout the film.
Further adding balance to this film is its light tongue in cheek moments, such as meme expert/occultist John Greer summoning books from his shelf via magic, or one of the many cartoon scenes involving Pepe and the other Boy’s Club characters, some of the film’s best sequences. These moments provide a much-needed break from the overwhelming degeneracy of the cesspools of the internet. Their quality and seamless marriage with other archive or vérité material elevate the film, and further push the story into the bizarre, psychedelic world from which it came.
Beside Pepe in this tumultuous odyssey is his creator Matt Furie. Uniquely ambiguous and childlike in his approach to life, it is deeply ironic that he is (by proxy) the creator of a hate symbol. This juxtaposition and Furie’s seemingly unflappable but bewildered response to it all makes for engaging viewing. Furie’s innocence and mild manner make it near impossible for the viewer not to root for him in his legal and ideological battle to convert Pepe into a love symbol.
Alongside Matt and Pepe we meet a host of diverse characters. From the aforementioned occultist, to a Lambo-driving Rare Pepe trader but the most notable of all is Mills the 4chan NEET, the face of Pepe’s dark slide to the alt right. Finding Mills through 4chan, Jones was able to gain remarkable access to the life of an internet troll. Mills lives tucked away in the jumbled basement of his mother’s flat and despite his penchant for spreading hate speech online, his vulnerability on camera and his story of isolation and social anxiety is very endearing. It’s hard to picture him engaging with such a dark secretive community, but that is as much a testament to Jones’s ability to find the humanity in everyone.
Despite its dark twists, Feels Good Man is ultimately a story of hope. The result of Furie’s inspirational resolve and benevolence twinned with Jones’s brilliant ability to portray it on screen is a wacky but thoroughly enjoyable film that provides rare insight into a fascinating modern phenomenon.
Our Out Now series brings you the best newly released feature documentaries. Get in touch to pitch your film.
