Jefftowne (1997) Daniel Kraus

Jeff Towne is poor, white and has Down’s Syndrome. He loves beer, big breasts and wrestling. Typically sports trucker hats, and drapes plaid shirts over his giant potbelly. Despite being handicapped, Jeff lives as if he’s any other American of that, uh, socioeconomic group. But he has Down’s Syndrome, what’s the actual redneck’s excuse? “Jefftowne“ is a cinema verite depiction of his everyday, featuring interviews with his friends and 88 year-old step mother, in Iowa City. It’s the Hollywood story of overcoming adversity, and being yourself to find a place in this world - except, you may not want to actually visit here, and just like everyman, Jeff Towne is subject to his own character flaws and demons; which are invisible to many, such as to his stepmother, who views him as a cherubic, Christian choir boy. It’s a surprisingly non-exploitative film, as director Daniel Kraus doesn’t show the handicapped as either saint or joke. But most importantly, the film was perhaps very influential to ’indie’ filmmakers of the aughts, as “Napoleon Dynamite“, “Gummo“ and the like are about these mentally damaged, yet funny or uncomfortable characters who exist on the margins.