The opening of this film has its writer-director playing a
writer-director who has a film going to a film festival, but before
going to that festival, he breaks up with his girlfriend. He then goes
to that festival with his shorter, chubbier friend. This is the exact
premise for Alex Karpovsky's Red Flag, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, prior to the premiere of Junk at the Austin Film Festival 2012.
Here, writer-director Kevin Hamedani plays writer-director Kaveh, the creator of Islama-Rama 2,
the film-within-the-film. It gets accepted to the Outsider Film
Festival in Seattle. His co-writer Raul, played by Ramon Isao, tags
along. Raul is the equivalent to the character of Henry, the buddy in Red Flag. When Kaveh and Raul arrive at the festival screening, both are surprised when the actor in Islama-Rama 2,
Connor, played by Cooper Hopkins, shows up at the festival to promote
it but mostly to promote himself and take up whatever limelight he can.
Before flying to Seattle, Kaveh has a meeting with his agent that is
very reminiscent of the meetings that Ricky Gervais' character would
have with Stephen Merchant's character in the TV series Extras.
After flying to Seattle, Kaveh's agent tells him that Yukio Tai is going
to be at the festival and that Kaveh should try to pitch his next movie
to Yukio. Yukio is played by James Hong and is described as a Japanese
Roger Corman.
Like Karpovsky's film, this movie is also about the friendship between
the two main men, Kaveh and Raul. Hamedani's film is a bit more hopeful
than Karpovsky. When it comes to independent filmmaker's taking their
movies to be shown at festivals or other venues, Hamedani's film is a
bit more mocking of the process than Karpovsky, but still more hopeful.
Along the way, Hamedani's film becomes very reminiscent of Dax Shepard's Brother Justice
(2010), which is about a screenwriter going around desperately trying
to sell his movie idea to anyone to whom he can pitch. As he does, he
imagines scenes from the movie acted out by him and his friends. Kaveh
and Raul don't pitch desperately to actors and directors. They
desperately pitch to each other various ideas, which they act out in
their heads. Most are 80s and 90s horror remakes, which they re-enact
ridiculously.
The movie rises and falls on the comedic stylings on Hamedani and Isao,
as well as Hopkins whose Connor is not too far removed from Johnny Drama
from Entourage but who is extremely more narcissistic,
self-involved and a fame whore. Hamedani's Kaveh is a bit of a wuss, but
more so an Iranian-American stoner who just doesn't handle conflict
well. Isao's Raul is a smug and sarcastic jerk who won't hesitate to
make racist, religious and misogynist jokes.
Raul won't make homophobic jokes. That's more Connor's sense of humor.
Yet, both Raul and Kaveh do have their insecurities. Raul has his
insecurities about his writing. Kaveh just has insecurities about
himself in general, and his relationships with women or his ability to
even make relationships with women.
Brett Davern from the TV series Awkward on MTV does a fantastic
supporting role as a virginal, preppie Christian who is a coordinator or
liaison working at the film festival. He's great as at times
ingratiating and at other times timid.
The film is simply a hilarious intersection of these various
personalities, and for some strange reason, it's all fueled by the music
of OK Go, a band whose hit song was titled "WTF?". For those who know
what the three letters stand for or the lyrics to that song, you can
also know that it's a perfect anthem for this film and its characters,
particularly Kaveh.
Five Stars out of Five.
Not Rated but sexual situations and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 46 mins.
