Skippers

Like his first film, Wedgerino, which is kind of brilliant, Wertheimer pushes the absurdest style and humor even further in Skippers. The script is hilarious and meaningful, the acting is sharp, and the cinematography is beautiful. Really happy I got to see this when it was on the festival circuit, and excited for it to come out online. Definitely recommend!

The first thing you'll notice about Aaron Wertheimer's "Skippers" is how beautifully shot it is. Almost entirely shot in (my hometown of) Bay City, Michigan in the Fall. The colors just pop off the screen and the shots of stones slowly skipping, zen-like, across the water are worthy of most big budget nature docs. The second thing you'll notice is that "Skippers" is goofily tender and not about much but about a lot at the same time. The performances are, maybe a little unpolished but feel genuine as do the characters. It's laugh out funny at times. I think it feels a little rushed at the end, possibly a prisoner to its brisk 70 minute run time but it never wears out its welcome and could have benefited from being a little longer. Forgive me for this but....don't skip it.

This movie skips nothing, diving right into the heart of what makes rock-skipping, like poetry, so much more than it seems--infinite, even, if you examine it from the right perspective. That's not to say it's an art film. It's an absurd comedy, which is the highest form of art. If such a statement rings true to you, then you should not miss this movie. That's just theme though. You also have in SKIPPERS beautiful acting, strange cinematography, and touchingly written characters, even when they are making jokes about themselves, about movies, and about life. Bottom line, SKIPPERS is fun and meaningful, just like throwing stones and watching them move over water.

Aaron Wertheimer does it again with his deadpan, absurdist, yet convincingly sincere follow up to Wedgerino. The actors clearly take the material seriously, yet are in on the joke. In under 2 hours we see believable growth from the characters while laughing during hysterical dialogue. The actors ranging from seasoned to rookie make me want to see more from them. Wertheimer has a killer part that he completely nails. Wertheimer's adorable daughter and extremely talented wife Joey make incredible cameos. I highly recommend this film!

A quirky, endlessly endearing comedy that recalls early Wes Anderson, Skippers is indie filmmaking at its offbeat best - but with a twist. Punctuating the narrative are mesmerizing, Planet Earth-style shots of stones skidding across the water in defiance of gravity that elevate the picture to improbable artistic heights and are alone worth the price of admission. Winning performances by veteran comedian Kenny Zimlinghaus and the irresistibly charming Kate Villanova (their moments together onscreen are among the film's most memorable) further animate the absurdist yet soulful humor. Excited to see this director's future work.