"For most of its running time, 'Goodbody' has the foul mouth, wiseacre ways, and twisty plotting of some of our better crime novelists, plus a little something extra...Near the end, however, 'Goodbody' starts to wobble a bit...the plot seems to hit a standstill...Still, this is a good chance to meet any number of talented young people...The theatre is woefully undersupplied with thrillers these days, so it's hard to dismiss one as kicky as 'Goodbody,' even if it runs down toward the end."
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"'Goodbody' gets the macabre humor just right, with very funny dialog throughout. It also keeps the tension high, though that part is a bit of a cheat since it relies heavily on the presence of loaded and aimed firearms, implements of torture, and plenty of stage blood...A ghoulish ending pushes the play beyond the limits of its own internal credibility. But J. C. Ernst, the writer, has a way with dialog that mostly keeps the edgy gangster saga within the realm of its gallows humor origins."
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"If you find it difficult to take any of this seriously, don't even try. 'Goodbody' is a satire of the old-fashioned gangster movie and the newer variations created by writers such as Martin McDonagh and Quentin Tarantino. In many ways it is quite successful...Director Melissa Firlit keeps the mayhem moving. Although a good deal of 'Goodbody' is belabored, there's enough here that's truly funny to get us over the bumpy spots."
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"From its dramatic opening, there's nowhere for 'Goodbody' to go but down, even if Ernst keeps raising the stakes with complicated backstories and developments that leave one breathlessly confused. The production, however, is a good one, with rapid-fire direction by Melissa Firlit, the aforementioned set and lighting by McCarren, the apt and pertinent costumes by Dan Morrison, fight choreography by Cliff Williams III, and a strong ensemble performance."
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“A screwball murder caper...Cleverly penned...and directed...The story unfolds with twists and turns before a somewhat surprising and very satisfying denouement. It’s meant to a be a goofy bad-guy story that’s escapist theater at its best. Best of all ‘Goodbody’ has little to do with any current events or politics. It provides a lot of laughs mixed with the tension and danger of a story about crazy, murderous losers. And that’s not only just fine, but a very welcome and necessary relief.”
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"Ernst…shows a masterful command of fast and furious, not to mention funny and filthy, dialogue. Some of his bits are belabored and the play could lose a few minutes but he's definitely on the right track…As the situations evolve, Ernst carefully peels away the skins of the various dramatic onions, exposing layers of lying and deception… The bizarre conclusion…is surely over the top, but it's not without sufficient foreshadowing. Whether or not you approve, you'll probably long remember it."
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“A fabulous premise...Unfortunately, ‘Goodbody’ loses steam as the evening progresses...Ernst attempts the violent insanity of a McDonagh or Tarantino, but the humor isn't funny enough, the suspense isn't suspenseful enough, and the insanity isn't insane enough...There are genuinely funny moments and some of the suspense works well...‘Goodbody’ is never boring. But it just doesn't have the build and tension it needs to fulfill the promise of its premise.”
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“Despite the seemingly predictable setup of its initial premise...‘Goodbody’ cleverly subverts expectations...After a shaky start, the play eventually finds its groove...Displaying an interesting dichotomy of its own to rival that of its characters...With its deftly crafted humor amid literally stomach-curdling violence, ‘Goodbody’ successfully pays homage to the action-comedy genre with unabashed, bloody brio.”
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