“Bitterly funny…Schneider makes the part of the hero’s sidekick into something special.”– Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE “
Napoleon Dynamite with a rap sheet!”- Roger Moore, ORLANDO SENTINEL
“An almost Coen Brothers-style of bleak hilarity…A charming and funny film.”- Brian Orndorf, DVD TALK
“‘Free’ reigns over SXSW film festival”- Ian Mohr, VARIETY
“A fantastic way to spend 90 minutes Directed by Seinfeld vets Andy Robin and Gregg Kavet, LIVE FREE OR DIE centers on a small time scam artist and his hilariously backwards attempt to convince his uber-quirky friend to let him do security at his business. From there, an inane web of deceit turns deadly- and yet I promise it’s somehow still hilarious! Anchored by a solid story and script, actors Aaron Stanford and Paul Schneider deliver terrifically funny performances as the scammer with a heart of gold (possibly fools gold) and his dim-witted and easily influenced friend, respectively. Supporting roles by the always charming Zooey Deschanel (I’ll see anything with her in it), a refreshingly good Michael Rapaport, and a potty-mouthed Judah Friedlander make this film an all around good time . . . I really enjoyed LIVE FREE OR DIE and I would recommend you check it out if you get the chance.” - Annette Kellerman, AIN’T IT COOL NEWS
“Aaron Stanford as Rugged is a great straight man … Paul Schneider is downright hilarious and if Will Ferrell keeps making crap, I think Schneider can be the one to fill that weird, loveable doofus role we all love. Schneider has perfect comic timing and imbues Lagrand with some comical physical characteristics that are off the chart.”- Don R. Lewis, FILM THREAT
“I couldn’t stop laughing a Will Ferrell / Steve Carell-style comedy.”- Jette Kernion, CINEMATICAL
“Great! Andy Robin and Gregg Kavet’s hilariously understated “Live Free or Die” features fantastic performances by Aaron Stanford as a small-town swindler and Paul Schneider as his dimwitted pal.”- Andrea Meyers, indieWIRE
“The packed house was laughing their collective asses off. Marvelous, original, dark comedy. played with great humor and passion by Aaron Stanford a memorably hilarious performance by Paul Schneider.”- Stephen Holt, MOVIE CITY NEWS
“This very funny comedy has the same detached loser irony of ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ but creates humor from good dialogue and great acting, not unnecessary eccentricity. A recent prizewinner at the SXSW Film Festival, ‘Live Free’ is 90 lightning-fast minutes of fun. The movie tells the legend of John “Rugged” Rudgate (Tadpole’s Aaron Stanford), a notorious New Hampshire criminal, if such a thing could really exist. Turns out it doesn’t. Rugged is a wanna-be felon who sells “illegal” speakers out of his van that he secretly buys from a discount electronics store. Rugged is only guilty of misfortune and swagger, which makes his bizarre, burgeoning reputation all the funnier. A wonderful cast also features Michael Rapaport, Zooey Deschanel, and Kevin Dunn.”- Frank Paiva, SEATTLE WEEKLY
“I truly feel like I’ve already seen what will be one of the true gems this year , , . LIVE FREE OR DIE is an exceedingly entertaining R-rated comedy of errors. A satisfying and quirky comedy that we could definitely use more of these days. All the performances are solid. Stanford and Schneider make an ultra-competent comedic duo that works to great effect.”- Jeffrey Harris, HYBRID MAGAZINE
“This droll comedy is testimony to the demands of economical storytelling . . . puts more sluggish indie film writing to shame . . A snappy, don’t-waste-a-scene yarn.”- Bill + Johnette Rodriguez, THE PHOENIX
“In a film that features stellar performances across the board, it is Paul Schneider who steals the show. Sporting one of the worst hairdos in cinema history, Schneider’s Lagrand is a cartoon character come to life if there ever was one, yet he still infuses Lagrand with a sympathetic humanity that makes the performance a downright miraculous achievement that must be seen to be believed.”- Editors, ROTTEN TOMATOES
“The film is easily one of the funniest I’ve seen all year, and if I were Ebert, my thumbs would be way up. It’s rare when a script so original and a cast so talented can manage to come together and produce such a great comedy. I really can’t say enough good things about this film.”- Len Sousa, MERCURY WEEKLY
“‘Live Free or Die,’ from Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin, won the jury prize for best narrative feature after making its world premiere at the SXSW festival this week. The quirky comedy, about the misadventures of a wannabe criminal in small-town New Hampshire, stars Aaron Stanford as the parka-wearing, chain-smoking John “Rugged” Rudgate. Paul Schneider plays his only friend, a lovable goofball named Lagrand; Zooey Deschanel co-stars as Lagrand’s bossy older sister. Really, really funny.”- Christy Lemire, ASSOCIATED PRESS
“It’s a state motto, it’s a way of life . . . It’s “Live Free or Die,” a buzz-worthy flick that won the Jury Award for Best Film at last month’s South by Southwest Film Festival.”- Larry Carroll, MTV MOVIE NEWS
“Very funny . . . a hilarious performance from Paul Schneider, who manages to channel something between Will Ferrell and a New England version of Forrest Gump. It’s a fairly black comedy that gets a lot of its laughs from its location, so if you find the minutia of life in a shabby small town inherently amusing, this is a film for you.”- Alison Willmore, IFC BLOG
“Aaron Stanford shines . . . Paul Schneider gives a wonderful performance.Thought-provoking beautifully shot “Live Free or Die” is deadpan comedy at its best.”- Patricia Freeman, INDEPENDENTFILM.COM
“This movie is so well written, and Stanford and Schneider have such impeccable comedic timing, that I’m 100% convinced this movie will become a campus cult favorite. If you like movies like ‘Bottle Rocket’, give Live Free or Die a chance.”- Micah Prude, DUMB-DISTRACTION.COM
Narrative Jury Prize – 2006 South By Southwest Film Festival
Jury Award: Best New American Film – 2006 Seattle International Film Festival
Closing Night Feature – 2006 Gen Art Film Festival
Official Selection – 2006 Newport International Film Festival
Official Selection – 2006 Atlanta Film Festival
Official Selection – 2006 Onion Film Series
Official Selection – 2006 Woods Hole Film Festival
Official Selection – 2006 New Hampshire Film Expo
Official Selection – 2006 Sao Paulo International Film Festival
Official Selection – 2007 Florida Film Festival