Adventures of Serial Buddies

I was at the sneak preview at the Boston Film Festival and it was a BLAST. Here's a quick review:

I'd call "Serial Buddies" a "lightly dark" comedy. It shares some cinematic DNA with modern absurdist comedies like "Napoleon Dynamite" (a bizarre cast of characters and a snappy pace). But where "Dynamite" affects a "too cool for school" attitude, "Serial Buddies" has an earnest, goofy energy, trading deadpan stares for a Woody Woodpecker-esque careening insanity.

Kathie Lee Gifford was a huge surprise as a randy Sorority Mom with the hots for trophy makers(!). She plays the role with lewd relish -- and she got some of the biggest laughs of the night for her efforts.

Christopher Lloyd's performance is also noteworthy. His scenes with Paul Ashton ("Gregory") as Gregory's father Dr. Von Gearheart veer from laugh-out-loud hilarious to heart-wrenching.

Speaking of Ashton, he is fantastic as Gregory. He allows us to see the heart in the ridiculous character that he's playing, while keeping it funny. A great performance from an actor to watch.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the mythical Kravello (Sir Richard Wentworth). The character, a legendary trophy maker who worked himself to death, is mentioned in reverent tones for the first half of the movie, and when his flashback finally arrives in the second act it does not disappoint. I won't spoil it for anyone, but it's spectacular and outrageous.

To sum up, I was really impressed. It's a unique film with many laughs -- well worth watching!