Director: Todd Sklar
Writer: Todd Sklar
Producers: Brock Williams, Todd Sklar
Starring: Alex Rennie, Nicholas Renkoski, Chad Haas, Todd Sklar, Hina Abdullah
MPAA Rating: NR
Running time: 89 min

One of the things we love to get into around here, although we don’t always get much of an opportunity to do so, is the world of the independent filmmaker. Which is actually a real shame because in this day in age, independent films are quite accessible and easy to find. Not to mention, many of them are quite good; or at least good enough to beat out 95% of the shit we see (or don’t see) at the multi-plexes. And lastly, indie filmmakers are also the bread and butter of the future. In other words, most movie makers (unless they have a rabbit foot stuck up their ass) start off with small independent tries before becoming a huge success (Kevin Smith, David Lynch… even George Lucas). So those of us in the third row and those that hang out in the general vicinity of said row, should and will do all we can to support these guys… especially when their movie is good. Damn good.

Such is the case with Box Elder (official site). Minneapolis born and raised Todd Sklar has spent the better part of three years conceiving and developing script to film to give us what is likely to be one of the better comedies of the year. I was a bit apprehensive at first as the trailer appears a bit weak - but complaining about that would be a bit hypocritical wouldn’t it? I mean usually I’m bitching that all the best parts of a comedy are in the trailer and hence nothing to laugh at come showtime. Not with Box Elder. It’s a laugh riot from nearly start to finish.

The story follows four friends in their final few years at college and the camaraderie and life lessons that come with it. Whether one wants to learn from those lessons is a lesson in and of itself and part of the fun. We follow the four friends through tumultuous relationships, binge drinking, road trips, restaurant conversations, push-over landlords and even something as simple as being late for class or borrowing your friend’s car keys. Each of these experiences can be a mini-adventure of its own. And in the case of Box Elder, a pretty damn comical adventure to boot.

There’s not a whole lot of plot going on here. Mostly it’s just a series of experiences at various stages of the last three years at a college. Yes, there is a bit of a relationship issue going on and a sub-plot about being responsible with your classes, but mostly the story just jumps around to different time periods; starting at the beginning of sophomore year and ending with graduation. The segments are broken up with title cards telling us when we are. For example: fall break, Halloween or finals week. It gets a bit herky-jerky, but that’s of little importance as the genius is in the “it’s funny cause it’s true” style comedy. Inevitably, it doesn’t really matter when we are. What matters is what’s happening at that particular moment. For instance, one of the segments is simply titled “Junior Year” and is about a two minute long segment of two guys having a quick, inane conversation in a sandwich shop before we skip ahead to senior year. So some of the comedy lies simply with the editing and structure of the movie itself. Kudos.

While watching the screen, I mentally referenced several films that obviously helped in the inspiration for Box Elder. From Animal House to Road Trip to Clerks to slightly more obscure titles like The Rules of Attraction just to name a few. The interesting thing is, Box Elder isn’t a copy-cat of any of these pictures. It simply takes cues from previous greats to become its own idea of comedy. Despite several obvious influences, it’s actually quite original.

One of the things that always mildly irks me about some of these “college” movies is the ridiculousness of the parties that are always portrayed. I went to college for five (yes, five) years and almost never (if ever) did I see a party like the ones portrayed in movies like Old School, Animal House, et al. Box Elder takes pains to recreate a college party to look like they actually are; which can be just as entertaining and fun (maybe even more so) as the fictional parties of Hollywood movies (i.e. Snoop Dog showing up with a 1000 crazy drunk kids jumping off roofs, throwing sofas out the window, riding motorcycles through the living room and tee-peeing the front lawn). Escapism and embellishment isn’t always a bad thing, but when it becomes a cliche, then it’s irksome. Box Elder is anything but.

My only slight against the film is actually quite minor, and that is that it does seem to take some time to warm up to. The first 10-15 minutes aren’t particularly funny, even though it’s trying to be. I could feel the slight tension in the theater as we all collectively worried that maybe this was going to be one of those movies that you maybe smile through and appreciate the effort, but ultimately lose interest in and wish for a quick ending. But with Box Elder, that feeling quickly fades as we warm up to the characters and the script, which really begins to pick up the pace until we’re at full-throttle; laugh factor 11 - even through the closing credits’ outtakes.

Other than that, there’s very little to complain about here. Great style for a first time director, hilarious characters through and through, a well-written script and not the amateur acting you might expect for a film with this budget all combine to make a more than satisfying trip to the rep cinema. In fact, each and every actor was completely believable and not once did they appear uncomfortable or out of place. On top of this, everything seems very natural and even realistic; which is probably due in part to the director allowing for a little bit of improv from his actors. This all leads to a witty and funny story that exceeds expectations. So grab a couple of beers, then take a chance on a title you haven’t heard of or seen trailers for on MTV, you’ll probably be glad you did. I am.

Links:
Official site - tour dates and more info
Facebook
MySpace

Remaining dates for Minneapolis:
Tue. April 8, 7:30
Fri. April 11, 7:30
Sat. April 12, 7:30
Sun. April 13, 7:30
Tue. April 15, 7:30
(check the official site for a screening near you)