Turbo Cola

A truly great job on all aspects of independent filmmaking. The cast did excellent, story was fantastic, but most impressive to me was the shot selection. Director Luke Covert and cinematographer Dennis Thomas showed impressive angles and shot ideas throughout the film. Also loved the "breaking bad" omage that ties opening with the climax!

So I like Clerks and from everything I read, this was supposed to be in that same vein. In that it takes place entirely in a QuickMart, ok... yeah. But that is where the similarities end. The whole movie is slow paced and in the end, goes nowhere. I think I'd have been more entertained watching paint dry on grass as it grows. The characters are one-dimensional - we never get to really know them at all. The entire plot is ludicrous.

I think whoever wrote this must have been on some really good stuff! Too bad they don't include a bit of that with each purchase... maybe then the movie would have been more entertaining.

It's 1999 on the eve of Y2K. Austin is a convenience store clerk in Mechanicsville, Michigan. He has come up with a scheme to rob the ATM with his slacker friend Swearsky. He plans to move to NYC to live with Mary Jane who has a scholarship to NYU. Her brother Jimmy is his volatile drug-selling friend.

It's an indie and a Clerks wannabe. The big difference is that I don't like these characters. At most, I find some of them tolerable. I get the Swearsky slacker character. I really don't like the Jimmy character. He's like the creepy bug that is crawling on your skin. I can't get away from him fast enough. I thought maybe the movie would make him have a crush on Austin. At least, that would have been interesting. The lead Austin also has the annoying problem. He's a troubled character. There is a way to make him more appealing, but there is something about the actor's voice that bugs me. Too many of these characters are bugging me which holds back the comedy.

The title says it all. If you want to know what this movie is like, imagine Clerks (1994), but with way less interesting characters and even less humour. If you're unfamiliar with Clerks, so the reference isn't helpful, I'll describe this movie in one sentence. This is your average coming of age story with characters you'll instantly forget, much like the movie.

An intriguing plot can keep an audience engaged in a story, but usually it's the characters that catch and keep our attention. These characters are shallow and cliche, with dialogue and performances that won't leave an impression. They don't promote an emotional investment so it's difficult to care about them or their plights.

It's not a bad movie, it's just uninspired. With the exception of some slightly clever plot elements, the script is emotionally and mentally numbing. There's little to no humour in the script and the dialogue is shallow with no profundities to be found. There's no clever or intellectual insights provided beyond things change after high school is over.

It's a period piece set in the year 1999, and it's an average coming of age story with nothing new to say. What it does say, it says with a blasé script with banal dialogue. If you're feeling nostalgic or just want to watch a great coming of age tale set around that era, you'll find dozens of movies made in the 90's and 00's with more entertainment value. Many will actually reward your investment in time and energy by watching them.

I liked this film a lot. As a filmmaker, myself, I can appreciate what was accomplished here. I found the story and setting charming as 1999 was a memorable time for me, even though I was well out of high school by then. I enjoyed the characters, the director's style and thought it was well produced and well shot. Austin and Swearsky were my favorite, but the rest of the cast did a great job as well. A fun watch!