The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle (2009)

88% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
70% of users liked it
(295 ratings)

A computer programmer experiencing a crisis of faith unwittingly becomes the subject of a bizarre experiment that yields unexpected consequences in this innovative, character-driven comedy punctuated by imaginative animation. Laid off from his job as a computer programmer while locked in the midst… More A computer programmer experiencing a crisis of faith unwittingly becomes the subject of a bizarre experiment that yields unexpected consequences in this innovative, character-driven comedy punctuated by imaginative animation. Laid off from his job as a computer programmer while locked in the midst of a spiritual crisis, Dory trades in his suit and tie for a janitor's uniform and goes to work cleaning toilets with a misfit troupe of custodial engineers. It's there that Dory becomes the subject of a strange experiment involving highly addictive cookies that warm in your mouth while being eaten, effectively simulating that "oven fresh" taste. But these cookies have some particularly strange side effects, including surreal hallucinations, spectacular mood swings, and, ultimately, quasi-pregnancies in the male janitorial staff. As the men carry their pregnancies to term, they band together as midwives to support one another while each delivers a tiny, radiant, immaculately conceived blue fish. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: David Russo, Grégoire Vigneron
Written By: David Russo
Genres: Comedy

On DVD: Dec 14, 2010

Critic Reviews

Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail
In the cookie-cutter world of movies, it's a pleasure to come across a story you've never encountered before. Or ever will again. A film for which there can be no sequel.
Jason Anderson, Toronto Star
Russo deserves some respect for trying to spin a whole movie out of an idea as strange, inspired and possibly repulsive as the one that fuels his feature debut.
Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times
The rough-edged film gets major points for originality. But its ending utterly flames out, as if the filmmakers suddenly found they had nowhere to land, so hit the self-destruct button.
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
Looking as if it were devised on acid and executed on mushrooms, this imaginative debut feature from the Seattle artist and filmmaker David Russo finds meaning in cleaning and life in dead ends.
Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
[Director David] Russo hasn't quite mastered narrative but his compassion for the characters is genuine ...
Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times
A wildly imaginative if erratically executed urban fable.
Jim Slotek, Jam! Movies
A 90-minute exercise in heightened reality.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Moves in an entirely unique direction. I love it, in all its sick, twisted glory.

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

An idealistic but confused young man who goes through a religion a week is fired from his position as a computer programmer and takes up with a janitorial service led by a transvestite Gulf War vet; when the gang start eating addictive cookies thrown in the garbage by a research firm,… More
An idealistic but confused young man who goes through a religion a week is fired from his position as a computer programmer and takes up with a janitorial service led by a transvestite Gulf War vet; when the gang start eating addictive cookies thrown in the garbage by a research firm, they discover that the side effects are hallucinations and male pregnancy. Endlessly inventive, it gets a pleasant hip vibe going that's sort of a cross between REPO MAN and SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD; it's only held back from cult-movie immortality by an incredibly frustrating non-ending.
Nicki M

Strange little film. Not entirely sure what to make of it - don't even know if I quite understood it, but to try and sum it up, a religious young guy is sacked from his computer job and goes to work as a janitor. The office he is cleaning is a company which makes cookies and… More
Strange little film. Not entirely sure what to make of it - don't even know if I quite understood it, but to try and sum it up, a religious young guy is sacked from his computer job and goes to work as a janitor. The office he is cleaning is a company which makes cookies and they have been doing experiments with the ingredients. The cookies have the effect of drugs and the males end up "pregnant" with little blue blob things, which they give birth to on the toilet... see what I mean?! This is a very original film. For the most part is interesting, although occasionally found my mind wandering (however, I did watch this one late at night). It was great to see Natasha Lyonne in something more recent. She really looks great in this considering her health problems and issues in her personal life. I couldn't see her without wishing my hair looked like that! The young guy who plays Dory is also quite convincing, although some of the janitor friends were a bit annoying and unlikeable. I would hesitate to recommend this as I don't really know that it would appeal to many, but if you like something a little different, it may be worth a look.