Odd Thomas paired with Jinx from Magic Hat

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness

"Odd Thomas" (2013)

Based on the series of novels by Dean Koontz, "Odd Thomas" plays out almost like a pseudo-successor to "The Sixth Sense". Whereas M. Night Shyamalan's ghost story dealt with a young boy learning to accept his power, "Odd Thomas" centers around a young man trying to use it for good. The story isn't about Haley Joel Osment's character, but feels like a natural progression. Osment's arc revolved around taking his power from a curse to a strength. Odd Thomas is like an illustration of that, only years later.

The titular Odd, and yes, that's his name, has embraced his ability to see spirits. Watching ghosts float around is part of his everyday existence. He devotes his life to putting their tormented souls to rest, solving problems they cannot.

As he puts it: "I see dead people. But then, by God, I do something about it."

The Plot:

Odd Thomas is a 20-something young man living in the small desert town of Pico Mundo. He lives simply, preferring to keep a low profile. His wardrobe consists only of jeans and white t-shirts. He's friendly, but quiet. Most of the town only knows him as a short-order cook at the local diner. No one really expects much out of Odd, figuring he'll just live out his days in the small town. And that's exactly how Odd wants it. A few of trusted friends know Odd's secret, like his girlfriend Stormy and the local town sheriff, but most residents of Pico Mundo are in the dark.

Odd lives simply to better focus on his true calling. Gifted with paranormal senses from a young age, Odd is able to see and hear and variety of spiritual forces. Not only ghosts, but various entities from the nether-world, most often up to no good. Most common among these are the Bodachs, gremlin-like creatures with inky skin and a hunger for chaos. Odd often sees them arrive when something bad is about to happen. A murder or an accident usually has two or three bodachs trailing behind it, soaking up the calamity. They're not malicious entities themselves, but they feed on tragedy. When they show up, it means something bad is about to happen.

One day, while working a normal shift at the diner, Odd spies a rather strange customer wander in. Creepy would be too generous a term to describe the man. His appearance is downright unsettling. With fuzzy, matted hair and a pale complexion, the 'Fungus Man' looks like a walking time bomb. What's worse, this shady character is followed by a host of Bodachs larger than Odd has even seen before.

Something bad, very bad, is about to happen to the town of Pico Mundo. Problem is, Odd has no idea what.  There's a mystery to solve here, and if Odd can't figure it out in time to stop it, hundreds will die.

The Flavor:

"Odd Thomas" is less a horror film and more paranormal action/adventure. Played by Anton Yelchin, Odd is an easy going and likable guy. His past abilities cause him no end of trouble, but he plays it off rather smoothly, accepting his unusual fate. Odd is fully aware his life will never be 'normal', so he makes the most of his unique situation. He does so with humor, kindness, and persistence. Odd's just trying to get by in a world that just so happens to be filled with ghosts.

Said ghosts are often of the tragic variety, having been wronged in life. Their deaths were often the result of some unsolved case, so Odd frequently investigates in the hope of putting the spirits to rest. The police department is aware of Odd's gift and frequently keeps his personal investigations into murder cases hushed from the ear's of the town. Aside from ghostly sightings, Odd also receives ominous visions around certain objects. These moments are often cryptic, but they fill in vital clues for our hero to follow.

Tone-wise, the film isn't so much out to frighten you as it is to thrill you. Though the vibe is plenty-creepy, more focus is placed on Odd's adventure and the mystery surrounding the Fungus Man. Most of the film balances between spooky mystery and fun adventure film. The characters are plenty quirky and lend lots of charm to the movie's atmosphere. As the plot progresses and the looming danger draws ever-closer, the tension begins to build. Once the finale rolls around, the movie turns into a race against the clock to prevent widespread death.

There are also very effective moments of unexpected drama to mix things up. Though Odd plays things off casually, his job naturally puts him in many emotionally-wrought situations.

Best Paired with:

Halloween in general!

Accompanying Brew:

Name: Jinx

Brewery: Magic Hat

Where Brewed:  Burlington, VT

ABV: 6.9%

Style: Scotch Ale

"Inspired by the doctrines of medieval chemists."

Color:  A dark amber tone, though without any trace of red. Imagine the browned area of a roasted pumpkin.

Aroma: Sweet and slightly tangy from what I think are caramel malts. There's some smoke scent in there, as well.

Taste: Your first sip is met with an is sweetness at the front of the mouth. There's a quality to this initial flavor that reminds me of the more sharply sweet flavors that come from stronger beers, but it's more mild here. There's also a woody, very slightly smoky character to the beer once it washes over your tongue. The slight sweetness and smoked flavors play very well together. Both are subtle so as not to assault the palate. Both of these tastes go well with the malty side of the brew to create an overall flavor that's complex.

Aftertaste: A quick flash of hops kicks in towards the end of a sip. After that, much of the sweeter flavors fade away on the tongue, leaving a combo of woody, smoky, and spicy. There's a tang to the whole proceeding that almost reminds me of a BBQ sauce, just much more mild. That may sound odd for a beer, but when presented alongside the toasty caramel malts, the result is really tasty. There's a lot of flavor going on here.

Body: When I read "Scotch Ale" on the label, I figured this brew would have some significant body to it. Most Scotch Ales I've come across have been powerful brews with high ABVs and robust bodies. Imagine my surprise then to find that Jinx is pretty light in body. There's a lot of flavor to this beer, but it goes down very smoothly. At 6.9%, it's stronger than typical ales, but the body is light enough to allow for many of these to be drunk in succession. Bear that in mind. 6.9% might not seem like a lot, but seeing as most American ales clock in at 5%, Jinx is stronger than you might give it credit for. I can certainly see this beer sneaking up on someone unaware of its potency.

Pair: I really love the slight wood and smoke tones in this beer, and as mentioned earlier, they immediately bring to mind BBQ. Smoked meats, roast pork and/or beef, and salty cheeses would make a great pairing.