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Kevin Jordan's "Goat on Fire and Smiling Fish" won thunderous applause at all three of its screenings at the recently concluded Toronto International Film Festival. Jordan also took home the Film Discovery Award for the best feature by a first-time or undiscovered director.

The film is actually a three-way collaboration among Jordan and two brothers, Derick and Steven Martini, who developed the screenplay and portray siblings in the movie. Shot in 12 days for $40,000, the film is not without its charms, thanks to several fine performances that enliven the coming-of-age comedy.

But "Goat on Fire" is a slight film without the edginess that caused "Clerks" or "The Brothers McMullen" to break out of the festival circuit to claim theatrical success. The film certainly deserves a theatrical release to test those waters, but it probably will make a better fit in cable and other ancillary markets.

As children, brothers Chris and Tony Remi acquired nicknames from their Native American grandmother. She anointed the serious and perpetually stressed Chris (Derick Martini) Goat on Fire while easygoing Tony (Steven Martini) was dubbed Smiling Fish.

In the course of the movie, both brothers sort out their lives by forging satisfying, committed relationships with women. Chris, caught up in a dying relationship with a woman who cries during sex, falls under the spell of the beauteous Anna (Rosemarie Addeo), a Hollywood animal wrangler. And Tony, who is an actor, similarly falls for Kathy (Christa Miller), the mother of a child actress who, like himself, is up for a TV series.

The Martini brothers rather courageously permit some of their thunder to get stolen by a little girl and an old man. Nicole Rae gives a vibrant performance as Natalie, the young daughter of Kathy, who causes Tony To consider giving up his carefree life. And veteran actor and jazz musician Bill Henderson vigorously plays a wise and witty former movie crew member who helps guide Chris' growing romantic attachment to Anna.

The brothers themselves make for amusing company, although a few of their romantic trials and tribulations feel forced to create conflict. Jordan certainly gets all the screenplay's laughs, though at times one wishes he would pick up the pace.

The film is bedeviled by problems typical of films shot on shoestring budgets. The so-so blowup of the 16mm footage causes some interiors to be awfully dim. And the film experiences sound problems (especially with Addeo, whose Italian accent is nearly indecipherable).

But there is enough bright work from all the participants to look forward to their next endeavors.

GOAT ON FIRE AND SMILING FISH

Martini/Jordan Films

in association with Red Horse Films

Producers: Derick Martini, Kevin Jordan, Brittany Taylor

Director: Kevin Jordan

Writers: Kevin Jordan, Derick Martini

Story: Derick Martini, Steven Martini

Executive producer: Sheilah Goldman

Director of photography: Fred Iannone

Music: Chris Horvath

Costumes: Marylou Lim

Editors: Ryan Rothmaier, Kevin Anderson

Color/stereo

Cast:

Tony Remi: Steven Martini

Chris Remi: Derick Martini

Kathy: Christa Miller

Natalie: Nicole Rae

Clive Winter: Bill Henderson

Anna: Rosemarie Addeo

Alison: Amy Hathaway

Running time -- 90 minutes

No MPAA rating...