This is, hands down, one of the best productions from Wild Dogs, ever! Off-beat, quirky, and highly successful mix of humor, romance, action and adventure in this one, with a lean running time, to boot. Really, I was just gob-smacked by the film, and the way it always (ok, mostly) dodged the inevitable genre trappings with something unexpected or at least differently spun. My wife also tuned in, and we both laughed our asses off. If I was to be nit- picky, there were some parts that seemed to stretch out needlessly, or some that seemed undercooked, but when the overall package is this good, one can be generous. Mike Fredianelli, in his best performance yet, does a superb nebbish/nerdy character, and gets paired up with a sexy blonde who often keeps pace with his spot-on act. They also have a palpable chemistry between them, an essential ingredient which makes the central relationship seem credible and genuine (all this, without any gratuitous nudity or sex). The 2 detectives are also well-performed by the actors, and then there is that 'flatulent hobo', once again a short but sweet role for Aaron Steelydanextra , whose later 'trampling' scene is one of the hilarious highlights of the film. However, the one scene that had my sides splitting was the 'Vietnamese orphan' bit. My God! And Mr. Nose looked like a dead ringer for the Dalai Lama in that get-up. Sheer comedy genius. The film is peppered with many precise and perfectly timed comic moments, perhaps thrice as many as the average Hollywood 'comedy' (Sure enough, the next day I tried watching Meet The Spartans, only to turn it off after 15 minutes. Too bad more people have seen this turd-fest than have been lucky enough to witness Mike's home-grown effort, which shows 'em all how it's done. Hell, the outtakes from Mike's film were more enjoyable than those 15 minutes of MTS
).
Speaking of which, the missus was amazed when she realized I wasn't watching a mainstream film, but a film made by AND starring my friend Mike from San Jose! She hadn't recognized him, and was incredulous when she found out. The next evening, her cousin came over, and he was made to see this film on her insistence. More guffaws, more laughter, and more amazement followed. Mike, you've got one more admirer on your list now. And we intend to show this film around some more.
Kudos to all involved, even to the guy playing Daddy Don Guido, who didn't seem to be all there. Excellent production values also, considering the budget (or lack thereof). Oh, and this is probably the first WD film that doesn't warrant subtitles (nice clear audio). The bar has been raised yet again by WD, and it ain't gonna be easy topping it. But that don't mean you shouldn't try. As the guy says: "Think positive, man!"
