The DVD release of Wristcutters A Love Story in the United States presents a darkly comedic narrative set in a purgatorial desert populated by suicides where the landscape is littered with old tires burned out cars and abandoned sofas. The story follows Zia who after slashing his wrists over a breakup with Desiree finds himself in this afterlife and takes a job at a pizza joint. By chance he discovers that Desiree has also taken her own life a few months later and is searching for him. He embarks on a road trip with Eugene a Russian rocker who died by electrocution and they pick up a hitchhiker named Mikal who believes she has arrived there by mistake and is looking for the People in Charge. Their journey leads them to the camp of Kneller where casual miracles occur and rumors of a miraculous king circulate. The film explores whether Zia can reunite with Desiree and what happens after that reunion suggesting that where there is death there is hope.
Highlights of the DVD include the distinctive visual style that blends bleak desert cinematography with moments of surreal humor the strong ensemble performance featuring Patrick Fugit as Zia Shea Whigham as Eugene and Leslie Bibb as Mikal the original soundtrack that mixes indie rock with atmospheric instrumentals enhancing the offbeat tone the inclusion of behind the scenes featurettes that detail the creation of the afterlife set and the director commentary by Goran Dukic offering insight into the thematic intentions and production challenges.
The title was originally categorized under Horror and placed within the Horror genre to assist in locating the correct item during web searches despite its actual classification as a dark comedy drama. The entry for this title was added to iOctavio.com on 2008-04-03. The original review supplied for reference reads: Despondent over his breakup with Desiree Zia slashes his wrists and goes to an afterlife peopled by suicides a high desert landscape dotted by old tires burned out cars and abandoned sofas He gets a job in a pizza joint By chance Zia learns that Desiree offed herself a few months after he did and she is looking for him He sets off with Eugene an electrocuted Russian rocker to find her and they pick up a hitchhiker Mikal who is looking for the People in Charge believing she is there by mistake They are soon at the camp of Kneller where casual miracles proliferate They hear rumors of a miraculous king Can Zia find Desiree Then what Where there is death there is hope.