Pester

Pester is an exciting debut feature film by writer/director/dp Eric Gerber. I am particularly impressed with the depth of the writing. It is a film that explores dark and personal subject matter but also includes a unique quirkiness that gives it a good amount of humor. The story is very original and there are times when it is about go over the edge of creepiness, but it never does. This creates a tension that is reinforced by the interpersonal relationships of the characters. There are moments where it appears that something very twisted is happening and then there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for it, or at least the strange logic of the characters makes the viewer go along with it. It is writing like that that I find compelling in this film. The acting is great, and from reading interviews with Gerber it sounds like there was a healthy division of written lines and actor improvisation, which in this case makes the characters feel more real. The ending is a cleverly executed metaphor, which I won't give away. Beautifully shot and edited, all the elements of this film combined to create a very professional independent film from an exciting new director and a great crew. Looking forward to the next Gerber film.

Pester is one of those films you don't easily forget. Just about every shot is well crafted and visually memorable. I especially appreciate the cinematography--Eric Gerber has an eye for colors and grit. Everything here works well, though. The acting is effectively understated. The dialogue is sparse, but it propels the characters and their conflicts toward an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion. The subject matter is dark and unusual too, but, underneath, the film has quite a bit of heart in the way it handles family relationships.

"Pester", written & directed by Eric Gerber, is a film that really snuck up on me. When I first heard about it at the Milwaukee Film Festival I went home and found the trailer and became instantly drawn into the unique visual style and a really somber, mellow performance from lead Nick Sommer (Blood Junkie, Billy Club & Don't Go to the Reunion) which I had not seen from this often comedy actor.

It's hard to be subjective toward the film as I know a few of the members involved, but I had never met Eric Gerber before seeing the film. What I found so endearing about his work as the director and cinematographer was how he was able to get naturalistic, real performances from everyone involved and how he shot this seemingly low budget film in such a way that feels like it had a lot more support behind it.

Tonally I'd compare the film to Dan Gilroy's "Nightcrawler" in the way it shows you the dark sides behind every human being and the less colorful areas of Los Angeles.

Without giving too much away, "Pester" tells the story of Paul Pester (Nick Sommer) and his drug addicted brother Ethan (Mathew Dunlap) and how Paul uses the family pest removal business as a way to not only help his brother stay clean, but help bring them closer together. Sometimes funny, often thought provoking, "Pester" is a film that should be getting far more attention that it has been.

If given the chance, seek out this film.

The way Eric Gerber (Director/Writer/DP) was able to say so much with so little is a testament to something I call the Binocular effect. The Binocular effect is when you look at something that seems so ordinary from far away that when viewed with binoculars has the effect to change a perspective suggestively occupying your interest without needing to know the dialog, this is the subtlety of Eric Gerber's craft to which he infects "Pester" with. What I hope is that if you come across this movie at some point in the near future you will give it a chance. A true independent film with a wonderfully intriguing art house feel "Pester" will easily keep your attention and in turn catch you off guard with the nature of how it's presented.

A horror film, a city study, and a deeply realized family portrait all at once, PESTER is unique. Set in a darkling LA nowhere PESTER is shot in locations so forlorn they are instant, heart-breaking classics of the genre. Eric Gerber's tactile cinematography is excellent, always beautiful even when picturing what we would normally consider repulsive. The performances, particularly the sensitive portrayals of the Pester brothers by Nick Sommer and Matthew Dunlop -- not to speak of their monstrous father, Thaine Allison -- are deep. There are scenes in PESTER that will make you squirm, and others that will chill you to the bone. But, unlike many exercises in horror, PESTER is not just about cheap thrills. There is a hard-won moral vision at its core. This film takes us on a trip through the byways of hell, as we struggle with the Pesters to reach the other side.