So, here it is, my first film review of the 2010, and we’re kicking off with an independent film from last year that I actually managed to miss out on. But other movies took preference over this on its release date, December 18th — James Cameron’s AVATAR was released on the same day. But, I’m playing catch up, so here goes.
HUMPDAY is another one of those so called Bro-mance movies ala THE HANGOVER and I LOVE YOU MAN, but with a sweet indie twist. The plot is simple — two guys, best mates forever, get drunk at an arty party and make a deal to sleep with each other for the upcoming Humpfest porn festival and film it for arts sake. Only problem is, they are both hetrosexual and one of them is in not just a hetrosexual relationship, but a full on grown up marriage.
I like the premise of this movie, and there is something very sweet at its very core. It’s obviously very low budget, but a clever seemingly improvised script and subtle, fly on the wall style direction give this film a different feel to all of the other comedies that fit the same mould that were released last year. It’s more of a dramedy that a full out comedy as there are a lot more in terms of dramatic moments than funny ones. True, there are humourous moments, mostly from the Zach Galifanakis lookalike Andrew (Joshua Leonard) and the awkward scenes between Ben (Mark Duplass) and Anna (Alycia Delmore) as he asks her permission to shoot the movie.
Where HUMPDAY succeeds is in fact where it fails, if that makes sense. I love the improvised style behind it, but a perhaps pitch perfect 30 minute short film dragged as a 90 minute feature and all things being told, could have been told in at least half the total running time.
The three leads give great performance and as I said before, it is very different from everything else in the genre but one of those movies which you will either fall for, or walk out of…
Still, it’s a nice little indie film to take a chance on and kick off the year with and worth a look if your are done with you 3-D AVATAR fill (if that could ever be the case).
— Paul Heath, January 2009.
GRADE: B-
