Hey gang, Valkor here. And I'm back with more MediaView goodness that's definitely worth checking out. I'm talking about dark comedy called Groupers and this one not only had me on the edge of my seat but also left me in stitches. It's not perfect, but damn was it entertaining. Oh and spoilers, expect them! But not too much.
Groupers kicks things off with a kidnapping of two college students Brad (Peter Mayer-Klepchick) and his buddy Dylan (Cameron Duckett) by a woman named Meg (Nicole Dambro), who did it because they incessantly bullied her brother Orin (Jesse Pudles) in high school, mainly because he was gay. So, as payback, Meg got the two dudes drunk, brought them to an abandoned house, and tied them up by their dicks in a Chinese finger (boner) trap. Why? It's all part of Meg's psychological experiment to prove that one can be gay by choice. So, for Brad and Dylan to free themselves, they have to achieve boners that would ultimately touch. But things aren't simple as it would seem as a host of characters show up to disrupt the experiment. And that's when things get really insane! But will Brad and Dylan come out of this one alive and possibly with a new fondness for one another? And will Meg get all she needs to get her paper done? This and plenty more get answered as you delve further into this film. And trust me, you want this!
I really enjoyed how Groupers plays out; the film goes forward and then back to reveal why certain events happened. For instance, the film opens with Brad, Dylan, and Meg meeting up in a bar. But when it flashbacks to how they actually met; it turns out Brad and Dylan were using fake Ids to score some booze and hopefully meet some babes. Yet they got way more than they bargained for when they meet up with Meg. Another example is when Meg goes to the boys, who are now tied up and she sees coins on the ground. Later, we learn that it was Orin who threw them because he wanted things to move along. Things start small, but as the film progresses it starts to open it something broader and even more hilarious.
The Good:
When I started watching Groupers, I thought it'd be a small film with a cast of three and it's all about Meg torturing Brad and Dylan. Don't get me wrong, from the jump I was all in! But as the film progressed, more characters showed up, and situations changed that's when I truly started to enjoy the film. Ultimately, Groupers was a lot more fun than I had anticipated. It's very clever, with plenty of twists that's more than enough to keep your attention, especially with that lengthy run time. And there's never any down moments where the film drags; It's just a seamless flow of awesome from start to finish. Finally, kudos to the cast for their stellar performances. But I want to give a shout out to Max Reed III and Travis Stanberry's “Frank and Hank”, who are total crackups, especially when Hank constantly calls Orin “pigs in a blanket”. Nice! In the end, if you're looking for a dark comedy that's original and fun, then Groupers is the one you'll definitely want to check out!
The Bad:
I mean... anything I say would just be nitpicking. And I really enjoyed this one. So, I'm gonna keep my gripes to myself.
The Ugly:
N/A
Groupers will get a limited (Los Angeles) release on September 27th, and a wider release on October 1st. So, if you're looking for a dark comedy that's a clever, unique and entertaining experience, then I highly recommend taking this film for a spin, should it reach a theater near you. And out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving Groups a 4.5.
