This film was a major find among the soup that passes for comedy these days. Found it at my Blockbuster in new releases and picked it up thinking I'd give it a shot. Wow. Although it appears this film was made as one of those indie shoestring types, the quality that shines through makes it top on my list of great films seen so far this year.
You get to follow this main character, Connie, around the 24 hours surrounding his birthday, seeing him get in and out of painfully funny scenarios and realize why he and most of his generation have a hard time committing to growing up. I don't think it matters how old you are - everyone can relate to not wanting to get older or things to change, and this film makes you feel better about that invisible transition that has to happen. But the best thing about the film is that the ingenuous comedy overflows into honest and heartfelt scenes, creating that perfect balance of resembling real life and bringing home a real story that you don't usually get in most comedies. Reminding me of an early Cameron Crowe or "High Fidelity" kind of film.
The characters are recognizable instantly without being tiresome and Joe Egender, who played Connie really draws you in, I haven't seen him in other films but have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more about this guy in the future.
Mostly what I liked about this film is that after watching it I wanted to call up my friends, go out for a beer and just hang out, soaking up whatever it is we've all grown up into. Deft writer/director Mitchell Altieri puts love into his characters, and it shows. It's one of those films when you're done watching it you just want it to continue going.