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"You Jump, I
Jump..." |
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Directed by D.B. Sweeney
- Written by D.B.
Sweeney
Cast D.B. Sweeney · Ed
Harris · John C.
McGinley · Mark Moses
Distributed by N/A -
2006 or 2007 - 90m - Rated PG13 |
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The first hour is truly fun and involving, but the last hour begins to
pile on clichés and the last ten minutes crash and burn before our
very eyes. |
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What's refreshing
about many independent films is how they manage to take a plot that
has been done to death in the mainstream and give it the proper shot
in the arm to revive it again. "Dirt Nap" is yet another buddy/road
trip movie, but it is a buddy/road trip movie told with humor and
warmth that is usually lacking.
I knew absolutely nothing when I walked into the screening and was
pleasantly surprised to find John C. McGinley heading up the cast.
McGinley is a consistently funny and interesting actor and here he is
the only somewhat big name. The rest of the cast holds their own,
though, and thanks to real life friendships amongst the principal
actors, everyone plays off one another wonderfully.
McGinley, Paul Hipp and D.B. Sweeney (who does triple duty as actor,
director and co-writer) star as three best friends who looked
promising in high school but have grown up exactly the opposite of
what was expected of them. Mark (McGinley) neglects his family and is
a gambling addict. Jason (Hipp) is a loser who can't impress women and
gets bossed around by his overbearing mother. Billy (Sweeney) drives a
beer truck and barely holds on to his dreams of being a musician. When
Jason wins tickets to a big football game in Florida, the trio make
the trip and learn about themselves and what it means to live.
Yeah, I know, it sounds horrible. It sounds like something you have
seen a million times in a million movies. However, "Dirt Nap" is
powered by a sharp and witty script and some really likable
characters. All of the best moments come when the plot is put on the
backburner and these characters just TALK.
One of my favorite moments is when they talk about what they call a
scrudge, the bad song that follows every great song on an album. Ever
since "Pulp Fiction," screenwriters have tried to make their
characters talk about nothing and make it fascinating. Most of the
time it fails, but here, it's funny and natural.
The script is not perfect, though. The first hour is truly fun and
involving, but the last hour begins to pile on clichés and the last
ten minutes crash and burn before our very eyes.
The budget is often painfully obvious, particularly in a few sequences
that make use of some very awkward and unnecessary CGI. Sweeney never
lets us forget that this is his first movie. The cinematography is
bland, the editing a little choppy and some scenes utilize slow motion
for no particular reason. In fact, the films I saw at a showcase of
student films earlier that day were infinitely better visually.
As much as part of me wants to drag this film down for the below
average direction, I enjoyed the entire thing way to much to not
recommend it to someone looking for a fun and easy comedy. The crowd I
was with enjoyed it immensely, one older gentleman calling it the
funniest movie he had seen in ages.
This is an easy film to like and embrace, warts and all. |
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© Written by Jacob Hall -
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TC Candler's Comment
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