The Wise Ones

An audience hit at the Flickpaloza Film Festival in Santa Monica, California, THE WISE ONES, from Portland, Oregon, is a perfect example of successful regional independent film-making. A smart, talky script and wonderful acting from the male and female leads (both local actors) overcome a low budget and lack of such niceties as a score (unless you count the hilarious songs in the musical production that is the focus of the final 30 minutes).

It's sort of a cross between ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, the TV series FRASIER, and WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, shot in a style reminiscent of STRANGER THAN PARADISE. Recommended, if you can find it.