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Mike_McNamara · Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Posts: 557 Location: Chicago, IL

Official Selection, 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. A 1950s conservative patriot battles a 1960s sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll hippie on the minor scale battleground of a model train town. Directed by Keith Bearden, produced by Paula Froehle and Ericka Frederick.

Truly an original comedy. What did you enjoy about this film? Anything not work for you with this one?

Let it be known!

Mac

LastBlog · Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Chicago

Definitely my favorite of the bunch. There is something so strangely anarchistic, on both sides, that uses the hobby town of a train set as a backdrop for a partisan argument. Even as a liberal I was disappointed when the conservative bit the dust, it would have been more appropriate, as in life, to show no "winner.'

This was well-cast piece as well. I especially enjoyed John Bader as the crew cutted conservative. There was something in the way he played it, kind of subtle (especially in the scenes with his ailing father).

The production design is what made this piece. The surprise of the train town's set-ups provided the laughs, and I felt it got more creative as it went on. Great symbolism, too, on the rejection of the glum teenagers regarding the whole argument.

Sigh. If only we could have a business called House of Hemp. Those darn conservatives...

***1/2 stars

Pat McDonald is a Chicago based film critic and writer. Read his reviews and articles at...

http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/
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