Hair driven ‘fro-medy
Read Iratefilms.com’s interview with Writer/Director Brian Hecker here.
From the image alone, you can see why I call this one a ‘fro-medy, shtick and dry humor abound throughout. Bart Got a Room has a kind of raw, un-cut feel to it – but, interestingly enough, the comedy doesn’t suffer. Chemistry was perfect with most of the actors, and my hat is off to newcomer Steven Kaplan for holding his own with William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines – idiotic hairdos aside, both actors deliver dialog with impeccable comedic timing. I am an avid fan of the mostly un-scripted, Curb Your Enthusiasm. Hines has always managed to come across as authentic, at times I thought she was truly married to Larry David in the series. She delivers the same flawless performance in this scripted effort.
Shot in my backyard, South Florida, the film follows Danny Stein as he tries to hook up a prom date with time running out. He is immediately approached by his best friend Camille, played by the cherub like Alia Shawkat, with an offer to be his date. Her freckled punim brings a fresh look at the real people of the world – hell, we can’t all be Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt – the best women have flaws. As Danny decides who he will be taking to the prom, the list starts to dwindle like the population of a nursing home, one by one the choices get crossed off his list. As his divorced parents struggle to give Danny a fair shot at a wonderful prom night, they are each trying desperately to be happy in their own right. Danny’s father, Ernie is raw and, well horny – for lack of a better word, and attacks the dating scene like an apathetic, yet energetic door-to-door insurance salesman, seemingly prepared for failure but relentless in his pursuit. Ernie even brings his son on his dates with him, which is hilarious as he gives Danny sage advice in front of women he has just met – online. While Danny’s mother, Beth is more pragmatic in her efforts and maybe even a little less discerning – although you could argue that point.
You will cheer Danny on as he discovers the old adage, time and tide wait for no man- nor adolescent. In typical teenager fashion, he waits ’til the last minute to decide who he can bring in a desperate attempt to avoid being labeled a loser for eternity, I mean, hell even Bart gets a room at the hotel. Who will it be, the tease, his best friend, her sister, a friend of a friend, the poet, with seemingly so many to choose from, it is easy to see why he hesitates. There is an old adage about that too of course, heh.
While time is running out on our determined teen rapidly, the film is very slow paced. You won’t be laughing your tuchus off throughout, but several of the scenes should have you chuckling out loud. Brian Heckeris going to be a writer/director to keep tabs on, for sure, he has a more refined Coen brothers style. He does a better job too imho, because his characters seem more authentic, yet are just as tragically funny. Some Coen brothers stuff is a little too spoofy and silly to be incredibly funny. Hecker lets you essentially people-watch from the comfort of your own home, and if you haven’t done that, newsflash, we are the ones watching you!
I look forward to following Hecker’s career, and give him incredible credit for having the balls to shoot his film in Florida. He used Florida not as I always see it portrayed in most movies, as a haven for old New Yorkers to await the grim reaper – sure, he mixed some of his work with that local blue-hair humor, but it was never overbearing.
I related to this story on so many levels, and whether you were a geek or a stud in high school, I hope you too can relate to Bart Got a Room – this is a great renter to watch with your old high school or college pals, grab a few beers, kick back and watch this poor SOB endure the hell of finding a prom date. The message at the end might be a little hokey for some, but you know, sometimes hokey is just the right choice.
