The Brass Teapot

The Brass Teapot is a 2013 Canadian-American independent fantasy-comedy film directed by Ramaa Mosley. The movie's script was written by Tim Macy, who also wrote the short story on which the movie is based. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2012, and was released on Amazon Prime on April 5, 2013. The film gained note for its comedic take on the culture surrounding antique collecting and the 2008 financial crisis.

Plot
John (Michael Angarano) and Alice (Juno Temple), down-on-their-luck newlyweds in Indiana, were both recently fired after the 2008 financial crisis. One day when browsing an antique store, they come across a magical brass teapot capable of providing them with money, with John stealing it. The only catch is that they must experience pain in order for the teapot to provide. They must then decide what they are willing to do, and what they are willing to suffer through, in order to gain financial security.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) The premise, of a magical object that provides them with money at a cost, is very creative, unique, and original. It's similar to the movie Cheap Thrills, only executed much better.
 * 2) The way it mocks auctions, the culture surrounding antiques (particularly that only old people enjoy them) and the lengths one can go to keep an antique is additionally unique.
 * 3) Great acting from the entire cast, even the bit parts by actors like Bobby Moynihan, Alia Shawkat, Matt Walsh, and Thomas Middleditch are given enough to work with to really make the film memorable.
 * 4) Memorable scenes that showcase the movie's rather off-brand humor to exemplify the message and show the lengths John and Alice will go to. Some examples include Alice giving John BDSM, John falling down a flight of stairs, and the entire montage close to the end where the couple finds out they can hurt themselves and other people emotionally while still getting money.
 * 5) The inclusion of Dr. Ling (Steve Park), a history professor tracing the history of that teapot, as an old "mentor" of sorts to the couple when they find out about the teapot is great, and his character is very compelling and interesting.
 * 6) A great script featuring some wonderful dialogue.
 * 7) A great soundtrack, featuring '90s rap and '90s/00s rock.
 * 8) A funny opening montage of John trying (and ultimately failing) to get to work on time after waking up late.
 * 9) The overall message, about how greed can bring out the worst parts of a person and instill violence, is not talked about often in movies, and this film does it excellently.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The runtime, only 90 minutes, makes it seems somewhat short and rushed, with audiences certainly wanting more.
 * 2) The scenes where Alice and John are hurting themselves inside the house, particularly an early one where they start bleeding intensely, can be shocking to viewers despite the PG-13 rating this movie has.
 * 3) Matt Walsh is slightly miscast as the British auctioneer in a parody of Antiques Roadshow, and his fake accent is laughably bad.
 * 4) Arnie (Billy Magnussen), the main antagonist, is incredibly obnoxious and unlikable. He is racist, bullies John constantly, and has no purpose to the story other than being obsessed with the teapot. The unnamed prostitute he lives with (Cristin Milioti) is no better.
 * 5) Some moments of insensitivity, particularly John making jokes about a pregnant woman's body (to cause emotional damage), stereotyped Hasidic Jews trying to steal the teapot to become infinitely rich, and anything that comes out of Arnie's mouth.

Reception
Reviews for the film were mostly mixed, but slightly positive. As of June 2020, the film holds a 52% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 31 reviews with an average rating of 6.3/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."