Bindlestiffs

A cousin recommended that I watch this and so I gave it a chance. I found it difficult to get through the first twenty or so minutes. The characters just truly come off like a bunch of teenage boys. At times funny, sometimes painfully awkward but more often than not they're just annoying. By the time they had started their adventure I realized that I literally disliked every character and they got on my nerves. I stuck it out and kept watching and I'm glad I did.

I had some pretty good laughs throughout. While some of the banter really rubbed me the wrong way some of it was hilarious. Andrew's obsession with becoming Holden Claufield is just so ridiculous and intensity so over the top that it made me laugh every time.

All in all the film feels very unconventional and I can see a lot of people disliking it because of it. The feel is very light-hearted with some of the aspects (especially involving John) being so weird that it gives a who-cares-whatever vibe to the whole thing. It was as-if they just threw some of it in because they could.

This Movie is about three teenagers who go on a wacky adventure with sex and other wacky junk. The idea has been done before but in most movies they feel really scripted, here the vibe is a lot more real. Like it has that feeling that videos you made in high school with your friends have.

It works because the kids are really funny. They have a lot of Jokes based in being too young to understand things, sex jokes, quick jokes, and a lot of dry wit. There are not any corny jokes. The situations fall into that 'woah look how crazy this is' sort of hangover style Junk. But even if a thing they are doing feels unrealistic or edgy just to be edgy, it works because the dialogue is so funny.

The movie kinda looks bad visually. It looks like it was made by amateurs (it was) So If you need your movies to have great cinematography to enjoy them, you wont like this. The editing for a few parts is a little sloppy or loose which can make it drag here and there. I never stopped being aware of the look, it didn't keep me from enjoying it but it might bug other people.

There's a subplot about the school security guard. There is supposed to be a tension with his character that he might harm the main characters, they were getting at that but I never really thought they were in danger, also these subplot parts with the guard are just kinda fine. They are not really funny they are just OK. I thought it was funny that the movie doesn't tell us what happens to the guard at the end, like who cares movies over.

Overall I enjoyed the hell out of the movie. It's pretty clear that if the guys who made this get a real production crew and some money they'll make some amazing stuff. It's a very funny, energetic movie with jokes and scenarios you've probably not seen before and in the end nothings really taken too serious. If you love Superbad you'll love this. See it.

I watched this movie because Kevin Smith's production company Smodcast Pictures distributed the film. As such, I went in with low expectations. Not because Smith's body of work is bad (I actually think 'Cop Out' is the only genuinely bad movie he's made), but because Smith likes nearly EVERY movie, he is the easiest customer to please. However, let's judge the film on it's own merits. AND...I don't know what to say about it. I have seen this film several times and I still have not summed up my feelings for this film. It is not incredibly funny. It's mostly just gross-out humor which I am not a fan of, and a lot of meandering with our three main characters who... I don't know if I like them or not. I don't really feel the comradery between them and they are despicable human beings, and yet they are compelling performances by young actors I want to see go places and get better. This film is destined to infamy for it's aesthetic, a sort of mumblecore tone and feel, and most "film critics" will dislike the film on that basis. For a first film out, it looks good. Sound is good, the camera is focused, and the guerrilla style of film-making at public facilities works well for the tone and characters. So, I'm torn, on the one hand there are aspects of the movie I thoroughly enjoy and on the other there are parts I don't enjoy. It's a film that's not for everyone, and I'm not really sure it's for me, but I've seen it many times, and I may still see it again one day. If you're into the raunchier comedies you'll enjoy it fine. As for me, I still can't say if this is a good movie or bad movie. It honestly isn't even a just OK movie.

This movie is really smart and funny. It's like Superbad but made by the Duplass Brothers. The camera is documentary style. The acting is really naturalistic. The old DV style camerawork works because that's the style that they are making. I can't recommenf the film enough. It reminds me a lot of Dazed and Confused where Dazed and Confused on the surface is a fun movie but actually has a lot to say. This film has a lot to say about ignorance of teenage boys. It's awesome

And I can say that with confidence. Bindlestiffs is the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. I don't often laugh out loud at movies by myself, but I did during the first screening. I've since seen it 6 more times. The pure nucleus of the movie is a group of teenagers making a movie with hand-held cameras for very very cheap. And they do it brilliantly. The plot itself is original, three teenagers heading out into the city to experience life, doing crazy stuff along the way. Comparing this movie to Superbad or The Hangover is just wrong, because they are SO different. If anything, the film shows elements from Clerks, Kevin Smith's first independent movie, who later picked up the movie for distribution. The fact that this is an award-winning independent movie just makes me love it more. When I set out to make films, this is essentially the film I'd want to make, Andrew Edison and his buddies just put it all together. The flick is hilarious, in the most literal sense of the word, and deserves at least a theatrical release that's not part of a tour or something. Rent this movie if you can, because it's definitely worth it.