Sunday, October 21, 2012
SIBLING RIVALRY
Today's film was the Duplass Brother's indie comedy
As kids, the brothers design the ultimate competition. A series of contests that test the others' strength or agility or courage. There are races, ping pong. The traditional stuff. But also laser tag in an entertainment complex.
The point here is that they are now adults and the contest is unfinished. Their late Dad aborted the first competition by fishing one of them out of the pool in the "hold your breath underwater" competition.
One, now a professional gambler, and the other a consultant "in the pet food industry" meet for the first time at their Mom's house on one of their birthdays. A showdown ensues.
It takes longer to explain than any one scene in the fast paced farce. Normally, I would run for the exits at the word "farce". But in this one, a NYTimes Critics' Pick, the action is fast and furious and funny. And there is a lot at stake beneath the surface. Intensity. Maturity.
The acting here is first rate. The Duplass' bros, at times, undermine this with a bit of too close, too zoomy photography with the handheld but what they lose in jumpiness they gain in real faces in the grip of action with one another.
I am not sure of the process. HD digital? But then there was a new color credit given at the end.
I liked it a lot. I laughed a lot. There is no bad language. It is shit and piss joke free. There is no sex. There is a great kid in it. At first I thought he was a girl. Looooong hair.
He is funny too.
It is short. An hour and 16 minutes. Very efficient.
I would not mid seeing this again sometime. A 4 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
