review for Fast, Cheap & Out of Control on AllMovie

Not the study of loose women or binge drug users one might expect from the title, Fast, Cheap & Out of Control is an engaging, if meandering, take on four quirky men whose unconventional jobs are their lives. Their earnest devotion is priceless, and acclaimed documentarist Errol Morris captures them at work with all manner of loving camerawork. Especially ethereal in its beauty are the shots of George Mendo sculpting the shrubs with his hedge clippers, which covers for the fact that he's the most reticent of the four subjects. The others more than make up for it with their eager, enlightening job descriptions, which the images flesh out expertly. Even at a scant 80 minutes, however, the film feels a little long because of its lack of forward momentum. Morris intercuts the scenes with great fluidity, but without identifiable purpose. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control also feels a little self-important when it tries too hard to suggest a connection between the four jobs and a framing device of circus footage, which looks nice but doesn't seem to amplify the themes. Still, these are minor quibbles; the dominant impression of Fast, Cheap & Out of Control is of stylish documentary filmmaking that reflects outside-the-box thinking. One can sense the kinship Morris feels for his subjects, since he himself is at the top of his own unique craft.