Reviewed by Michael Leader
Stars Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore,
Lynn Shelton, Trina Willard
Written by Lynn Shelton
Produced by Dave Nakayama & Steven Schardt
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 94 minutes
Directed by Lynn Shelton
A glance at the synopsis - hell, even the poster - of Humpday will send off 'bromance' alarms. Indeed, its high concept plot about the relationships between male friends is trite and badly timed, as it enters a marketplace over-stuffed with films with high concept plots about the relationships between male friends. But, with a sharply observant script, and a roughshod charm, it manages to be stirring and probing, as opposed to tepid or hackneyed.
Married early-30s couple Ben (Duplass) and Anna (Delmore) are trying for a baby, when into their lives barges Andrew (Leonard), Ben's old college buddy. A Kerouac-worshipping free spirit, Andrew manages, in no time, to hook up with a group of local bohemian artists and, after entangling Ben in their dope-and-drink-fuelled shenanigans, the duo make a hasty drunk-and-stoned pledge: that they would create an entry for an amateur porn film competition together.
What starts as heavy handed and convoluted - a narrative drowned out by the grinding gears of plotting - soon reveals a surprising amount of emotional depth, as writer-director Lynn Shelton's focus is less on the kooky fish-out-of-water set pieces of broad buddy comedies, and more on the anxieties and neuroses behind the transition from young adult to mature adult. Andrew, Ben and even Anna are slowly established as full-bodied characters, by subtle accumulation of their myriad issues and missed opportunities. The porn film idea, initially an inebriated accident, and subsequently a macho contest, eventually becomes an almost arbitrary device, to set up sustained, probing character studies. Eventually, set pieces such as late night, whiskey-fuelled discussions, basketball games in the street and mutual reminiscences all feed back into a well-formed sketch of an overly self-analytical, liberal culture - confused by a post-Kinsey society that, through free love, gay pride and androgynous, bisexual pop culture, can seem to promote advocation through participation. Humpday's characters feel that, as progressive, intelligent, hip adults, they are somehow deficient if unable to bend their own sexuality at will.
Much of the film's genius is in this central chunk, which never shies from creating a quiet, improvisational, at times laconic aesthetic - already termed 'mumblecore' by those scrounging for a generic term. Filmed with handheld cameras, this approach gives the film a gentle, surprising impact, and a naturalistic edge that, for the most part, helps overcome the utterly bewildering narrative set-up. And it is unfortunate that, in its final scene - a long, awkward sequence with the gents finding themselves in a hotel room, in their underwear, with a camera recording - this previous depth is forsaken for sex-comedy absurdity and crass 'will they? won't they?' tension. Despite these flaws, Humpday manages to cook up some wonderfully thought-provoking, complex content - but, as a filmic whole, doesn't fully achieve its potential.
• Official Site
• Humpday at IMDb
• Read our interview with director Lynn Shelton