Splinterheads Directed by: Brant Sersen Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Rachel Taylor, Lea Thompson, Jason Rogel Running Time: 1hr 34 min Rating: R Release Date: November 13, 2009

PLOT: Justin (Middleditch) is an average guy living an average life when his world is shaken up by the arrival of a traveling carnival and a bewitching splinterhead (Taylor). I'd call her a carnie, but the movie is very specific about the difference between the two.

WHO'S IT FOR? If you liked Napolean Dynamite, you'll love Splinterheads. It isn't that the films are similar in plot, but they are both consummate charmers.

EXPECTATIONS: None. I had no idea. Bayer sent Splinterheads as a screener to my home, and usually he sends me screeners like, Toast and the Civil War: Rye So Sad?, so I did assume it would drag in parts.

SCORECARD (0-10)

ACTORS: Thomas Middleditch as Justin Frost: Middleditch comes out of nowhere and is so funny and so charming, it's truly like new talent just dropped out of the sky and into our laps. Justin is your every day, unmotivated, listless slacker, but he's dear and he's goofy and you love him almost instantly. The writing is also strong, but this has a lot to do with Middleditch slipping on Frost like the character was just a pair of pajamas and not a paycheck at the end of the day. Score: 9

Rachel Taylor as Galaxy: Galaxy grows on you. She is the beautiful con artist who uses her looks when it benefits her. On the surface, she's flinty. So, in summation, she's the attractive, conniving b*tch who the guys might flock to, moths to flame, but who no one actually likes. But then something happens...she has a fantastic hobby. She's a geo-cacher: a climber/hiker who follows GPS coordinates to find hidden treasures other geo-cachers have hidden. Taylor is the perfect embodiment of Galaxy, because like the character she's playing, she's lovely but initially unpleasant. I wish the movie would help us like her a bit sooner, but it's still worth it when we inevitably change our minds. Score: 7

Lea Thompson as Susan Frost: Back in her Some Kind of Wonderful days, Thompson could play up the sweet/dainty/cute with relative ease, but now she's somewhat awkward. She isn't terrible, but she's a nearly; nearlys are those drivers who go 58 when they could go sixty, and you find yourself struggling to find a comfortable following distance. It's annoying and it's odd, but it isn't outright offensive. Lea Thompson isn't terrible, but you have a hard time figuring out the cadence. Plus sometimes, she's almost too melodramatic, sometimes she almost does too much with her mouth and not enough with her eyes (Botox, maybe?), but it's never overtly unpleasant. Very strange. Score: 5

Jason Rogel as Wayne Chung: There are a handful of really wonderful, quirky characters to choose from, but I have to mention Rogel. Wayne is the perfect, raucous complement to Justin's more reserved demeanor, and together, Rogel and Middleditch are hysterical. You could make a buddy movie with just these two characters and it would be just as much fun. Score: 8

TALKING: The script is fantastic. It won't blow your mind with insights, but it's a trove of unique surprises. You never quite know what the characters are going to say, when so many movies are so formulaic, you can accurately predict how an exchange is going to play out. Not so with Splinterheads. The writing is genuine and true, and like a really funny little kid. You have no idea what's going to come out of it's mouth, but it's inevitably wonderful. Score: 9

SIGHTS: The editing feels indie at times, but it's also just as creative and playful as all the rest of it. The climatic scene blends two parts of the plot together that don't quite mesh, which feels a wee green, but for the most part, it's consistently good. Score: 7

SOUNDS: There aren't really any songs, aside from the forgivably cutesy montage with Galaxy and Justin on a road trip. Otherwise, it's as it should be, but it never takes on a life of its own (a la Garden State). Score: 6

PLOT SPOILERS

BEST SCENE: Since the movie is just one charming, surprising scene after another, it's tough to pinpoint a favorite. Wait for the credits to watch Wayne finally work his drunken mojo.

ENDING: Neat and tidy, and ever... so... slightly irritating. Galaxy's cons aren't that endearing, so why end on one?

QUESTIONS: How long will it take before Hollywood stomps out Brant Sersen's pureness and originality and turns him into another formula spewing zombie? Run for the hills, Brant!

REWATCHABILITY: I wanted to keep this one, but I had to send it off to other critics, the lucky bastards.

OVERALL

I adored Splinterheads. It was creative and sparkling and entirely unexpected. That is why I can't help compare it to Napoleon Dynamite, even though they are entirely dissimilar in plot and characters. Both movies were like these little question marks that turned into gems right before my very eyes. My hope is that it will strike a chord with people and, via word of mouth, become a huge, raging hit or at least a cult classic. That seldom happens with the little sweet movies, but there's no reason why we shouldn't hope for it.

Regardless, if you're a fan of darling indie, you'll love Splinterheads for its endless amicability. It is a true charmer, but there's nothing glib or fabricated. It's authentic through and through, which is uncommon. I hate to say it, because I feel like it's tossed around and has begun to lose its meaning, but the movie has heart. It's your wacky friend who can't take anything seriously, but who doesn't have a mean ounce of flesh anywhere in him, and who doesn't love that guy?

FINAL SCORE: 8/10