-- Rama's SCREEN--
KNUCKLE DRAGGERS is an in-your-face comedy about relationship that aims to give you just the right dosage of assumptions and entertainment. It's fun, clever, witty and well-acted. Granted, the story sounds familiar but for this particular theme and genre, an indie movie doesn't get any better than this. Writer/director Alex Ranarivelo gives you Man Vs. Woman, through all kinds of mindset and stereotype that have been used since the dawn of man.
KNUCKLE DRAGGERS is in the same spirit as Jon Favreau's classic movie Swingers. Both movies have a character who thinks he's got it all figured out, the Vince Vaughn in this one is Kyle played with such wisecrackin' cocky attitude by Paul Alessi, his brother Ethan played by Ross McCall is the one who can't seem to recuperate from a break up and find it hard to to even rebound.
Yeah you've seen probably a thousand movies where the guy would tell a bunch of old school rules in the most rude way possible, it's like there's a ten commandment tablet that he'd share with everyone even when they don't ask for it. In this case, Kyle comes off so opinionated about it because it serves as his defense mechanism to cover up the pain of the recent heartbreak he went through. In a way, the movie wants to show that it's okay to feel hurt instead of simply using something to shield it but at the same time, it's not a good thing to linger too long because there's nothing attractive about a man who's obviously still stuck in the past.
The question of whether we've evolved or still think we're programmed a certain way runs through the frames of the story, the themes keep reminding us that we do have a choice to not follow the pattern. Great ensemble cast too that includes supporting actors who are right for their roles. Although it centers on the two brothers, the stories of each of the other couples would help out in determining which decision Ethan's going to make regarding his love life. And vice versa, the brothers' constant ranting about how to treat a woman and what to do when in a relationship with a woman somewhat impacts and redefines how their friends see their own relationship and the values that are supposed to come with it, like trust, communication, confidence, and simply just being yourself without putting on an unnecessary show.
Sure the concept's been done before and we've seen other versions but what I like about KNUCKLE DRAGGERS is that writer/director Alex Ranarivelo proves that a story can still be done well without having to be too lavish about it. The humor is perfect, the drama aspect isn't overdone, the storyline's well structured, decent dialogue that's not cheesy, with situations that we can easily relate to. For some reason, I get the impression that he's suggesting that it's good to be in moderation. You can be vulnerable but not too much that you lock yourself in, you can be confident but no too much that you'd push others away.
It also emphasizes another important point.. that the only way to heal is to live your own life, live for yourself for a while because if you focus on getting what you want and pursuing that dream that you've always had in mind and do well on it, others will bound to notice. In this case, Kyle, despite his shortcomings is always supportive of his brother and comes to the conclusion that Ethan needs to get back on track of becoming a director and once Ethan shows his negotiation skills and does a damn good job at a commercial gig, a female colleague takes notice. What a woman expects from a man can be in confrontation with what a man expects from his woman but it doesn't necessarily have to stay a conflict all the time. Relationship is never an easy thing, that's why it takes 2 to play that game.
--Rama's SCREEN--
KNUCKLE DRAGGERS is an in-your-face comedy about relationship that aims to give you just the right dosage of assumptions and entertainment. It's fun, clever, witty and well-acted. Granted, the story sounds familiar but for this particular theme and genre, an indie movie doesn't get any better than this. Writer/director Alex Ranarivelo gives you Man Vs. Woman, through all kinds of mindset and stereotype that have been used since the dawn of man.
KNUCKLE DRAGGERS is in the same spirit as Jon Favreau's classic movie Swingers. Both movies have a character who thinks he's got it all figured out, the Vince Vaughn in this one is Kyle played with such wisecrackin' cocky attitude by Paul Alessi, his brother Ethan played by Ross McCall is the one who can't seem to recuperate from a break up and find it hard to to even rebound.
Yeah you've seen probably a thousand movies where the guy would tell a bunch of old school rules in the most rude way possible, it's like there's a ten commandment tablet that he'd share with everyone even when they don't ask for it. In this case, Kyle comes off so opinionated about it because it serves as his defense mechanism to cover up the pain of the recent heartbreak he went through. In a way, the movie wants to show that it's okay to feel hurt instead of simply using something to shield it but at the same time, it's not a good thing to linger too long because there's nothing attractive about a man who's obviously still stuck in the past.
The question of whether we've evolved or still think we're programmed a certain way runs through the frames of the story, the themes keep reminding us that we do have a choice to not follow the pattern. Great ensemble cast too that includes supporting actors who are right for their roles. Although it centers on the two brothers, the stories of each of the other couples would help out in determining which decision Ethan's going to make regarding his love life. And vice versa, the brothers' constant ranting about how to treat a woman and what to do when in a relationship with a woman somewhat impacts and redefines how their friends see their own relationship and the values that are supposed to come with it, like trust, communication, confidence, and simply just being yourself without putting on an unnecessary show.
Sure the concept's been done before and we've seen other versions but what I like about KNUCKLE DRAGGERS is that writer/director Alex Ranarivelo proves that a story can still be done well without having to be too lavish about it. The humor is perfect, the drama aspect isn't overdone, the storyline's well structured, decent dialogue that's not cheesy, with situations that we can easily relate to. For some reason, I get the impression that he's suggesting that it's good to be in moderation. You can be vulnerable but not too much that you lock yourself in, you can be confident but no too much that you'd push others away.
It also emphasizes another important point.. that the only way to heal is to live your own life, live for yourself for a while because if you focus on getting what you want and pursuing that dream that you've always had in mind and do well on it, others will bound to notice. In this case, Kyle, despite his shortcomings is always supportive of his brother and comes to the conclusion that Ethan needs to get back on track of becoming a director and once Ethan shows his negotiation skills and does a damn good job at a commercial gig, a female colleague takes notice. What a woman expects from a man can be in confrontation with what a man expects from his woman but it doesn't necessarily have to stay a conflict all the time. Relationship is never an easy thing, that's why it takes 2 to play that game.
--Rama's SCREEN--