Small Engine Repair

You'll sit through 60-70 minutes of "character development" to get to the real meat of the movie. If you can make it through that long, it's a decent movie. But then...it ends kinda abruptly and somewhat unsatisfying.

This movie has great actors and the chemistry between them strong. The story is heavy dialogue but it keeps the story on point. This one is a slow build that is worth watching. It really surprises me, which rarely happens with movies.

I don't understand the ultra-low or the ultra-high reviews. It's a very good script about family, violence, regret, redemption etc. Could it have been better? Yes. Maybe 20-minutes shorter with better editing, but for crying-out-loud, it's far above virtually everything on network television or comic book movies.

'Small Engine Repair' is going to lose a lot of audience member's attention in the first 60-70 minutes. That's how long it takes for anything of interest to happen in the film. That shows a lot of trust in its audience to hang in there. The absolute key if you are going to structure your film that way is that the pay-off has to be worth it. Sadly this film can't live up to that requirement.

When I read that this was based on a play, that made a lot sense. A very dialogue heavy script with contained settings. Even the strongest plays can struggle to make the transition to film. They just feel so pointlessly limited. It's really noticeable here.

I don't want to savage this film because it doesn't deserve that. It is a bit of a frustrating ride though. The ending is fun and helps to save it a bit but by then the damage is already done. Not one I'd recommend. 5/10.

Read through some of the more negative reviews and a common interpretation emerges; a tale of toxic masculinity.

This is really a story of childhood shared amongst three best friends who eventually grow up to help raise one the three's daughter through tough times.

It's a tale of unwavering support by friends through the darkest days from childhood to adulthood. We all have those friends that would do anything for us and us for them, it's something boys cherish and men hold on to. It's a story of that.

Watch this with an open mind, a sense of dark humor, and some humility; yes, it may offend you at times, but appreciate that some actions change lives forever and that some loyalties run thicker than blood shared but rather blood spilled.