Some of Our Stallions

Some of Our Stallions is totally unique and creative while remaining unpretentious and truly funny which is a very rare thing. Go and watch it so these guys can keep making awesome stuff!

It's not a good start. The first scene raises a skeptical eyebrow as to the tenor of the picture, and the next few minutes don't change that reaction. It's not until we're about one-quarter in that this earns its first laugh - its only laugh - and we see a smidgen of earnestness underlying the proceedings. Therein lies the problem, though, and it's consistent throughout the length: in a title that takes on airs of comedy, drama, and romance, the sincerity is sorely missing from a vast preponderance of the length. Considering that the story very specifically revolves around mental illness, this lack of sincerity means too often that the attempted comedy either just falls flat, or worse, comes across as inappropriate; material that should be treated with all due sobriety is too often approached with a mind for comedy; and the comedic and romantic elements feel direly forced. There are very serious ideas and themes here that are all too relevant to real life, including and not limited to the lack of funding for mental health services, and the lack of services and resources for those struggling with mental illness and disability, especially as they endeavor to lead a normal life; the failure to recognize laws, social norms and etiquette, or basic boundaries and conceptions of what is or is not appropriate behavior, and what may come off as creepy or dangerous; toxic masculinity, toxic relationships, and possessiveness in male relationships, adjoined with the misogyny represented in efforts to control other men's romantic relationships (with women); the difficulties of untreated mental illness, possibly leading to dangerous and destructive criminal behavior and violence; and more. All this would make for a harsh drama that's hard to watch, but nevertheless firmly compelling. Yet it is very readily apparent that 'Some of our stallions' is also intended to be not a pure drama, but a comedy-drama. And so it falls.

The cast give fantastic performances across the board, from the boisterous, manic energy Carson Mell embodies as "kind of sort of mostly" protagonist Beautiful Bill, to the more varied, controlled, and nuanced performances of Al Di and Olivia Taylor Dudley as Andy and Bonnie, respectively. Mell illustrates fine technical capability as director, and his screenplay is stronger yet as a portrait of two men, best friends, who struggle with mental illness and with Andy's foray into a romantic relationship. The root narrative is stark and dreary, with substantial detail, and tremendous care obviously went into the scene writing, dialogue, and characters to make the tale as vivid, fiercely absorbing - and, frankly, just plain frightening - as it could be. Jason Chiu's cinematography is smart and thoughtful, and so long as they are employed mindfully and not bent toward embellishment, the same goes for the editing, and any visual and sound effects. The practical stunts and effects are infrequent, but come off well, and I appreciate the costume design, hair, and makeup. This boasts commendable production values, quite up to the standards of any contemporary fare.

Yet the fact remains that all that was necessary for this film to succeed was for writer, director, and star Mell to excise any measure of obvious intended humor from his vision. 'Some of our stallions' has only one actual issue that troubles it, but the tonal issue here is so significant that it severely dampens the value of the viewing experience. In the very least it comes across that the subject matter is being too lightly, and in some instances the outcome is worse yet. Emphasizing the point, in the last small stretch of the runtime it feels like Mell has at last struck the exact right note of honest storytelling as Beautiful Bill has a true "heart to heart" conversation with another character (after his own fashion). Elsewhere in in these ninety minutes we do get tastes of that authenticity, but they are fleeting, and paired with wry cheek that we're somehow supposed to find funny amidst a saga that is otherwise almost cringe-worthy for much of its duration. I really do appreciate the skill, intelligence, and hard work that everyone involved put into this; I see what is done well here - which is most things - and I wish nothing but the best for all. I also wish, however, that Mell had applied just a tiny bit more careful consideration into his direction, for what he conjured on paper is twisted into a would-be quasi-humorous form that is simply ill-fitting for the saga. I do sort of like this, but any recommendation is hard to make for the fact that it must necessarily be paired with the caveat of "but here's what it does very wrong." I'm glad for those who find it more meaningful, as is, than I do; I think 'Some of our stallions' needed more time to gestate.

I don't know what problem people have with writing smart and happy guys into a buddy comedy, but no one seems to be able to do it.

In this movie, two guys act dumb and obedient towards each other. Every other scene shows no self preservation, human traits, or will to survive...

Olivia Dudley plays someone with common sense, and her character spends the entire film standing up for herself.

It's clear that Carson Mells is trying to break down the "act tough" or "act pretty" alternate personalities we all carry around, and being a human-being does sell, however we put on those alternate personalities as defense in the real world. So what is shown in this movie is two guys with a total disconnect from the real world, instead of being a part of it like everyone else.

It would be better to see two guys expressing nervousness, frustration, tourettes, electric excitement, excessive nerdiness, etc... Real social, human traits, that people can connect to.

SOOS (which we can use as a handy abbreviation for the funny but somewhat grandiose full title) is an entirely unique film that dances magnificently between outright buddy comedy, indie crime thriller, and beautiful relationship drama. Deep down it's a film about friendship, and the importance of finding people who love us for our true selves.

The mental health of our main characters is troubling, and while they are capable of doing some pretty bad (and generally misguided) things, we are assured early and often that they are good people. Carson Mell's performance is effortless, hilarious, and oftentimes stressful to watch: a well-meaning man unhinged, impoverished, and facing the possible loss of the one thing he has and holds most dear-his best friend Andy. Al Di as Andy is a revelation, naturalistic and sincere, hilarious and charming. While you might need to turn the subtitles on for a few line deliveries, once you know (and consider) what he's saying, it becomes clear just how complicated this man is, and how deeply intertwined these two 'stallions' truly are.

With a solid number of memorable comedic set pieces (picking up women at the mall, post-9/11 "Joyist" donut antics, every interaction between "beautiful Bill" and Bonnie, Bill going 'wolf man' then imagining his shape, and the tense-yet-funny extended scene with Sam in a motel room, to name just a few), and plenty of heart to keep you invested, SOOS is a new favorite movie I expect will only improve the more I watch. Tim Heidecker also gets a shoutout, as a continual presence in fascinating, top tier indie comedy. A true supporter and benefactor of the arts.

5 stars, 10/10 rating. Loved this movie.

I had been anxiously awaiting this movie for months as I have found that typically anything Carson Mell (writer/director/actor/musician) is involved with is right up my alley. I am delighted to see Mell beginning to release his own feature length films (highly recommend his previous film horror/comedy Another Evil) and now in Some Of Our Stallions we find Mell himself in front of the camera portraying the big hearted, yet emotionally unstable, Beautiful Bill.

After both being released from a mental care facility, Bill and his best friend Andy (played charismatic newcomer to the screen and producer Al Di) go back into the world with love on their minds as they seek to find a romantic relationship. They soon find that thier attempts to flirt and make advances on the average woman are consistently unsuccessful and decide that they need to find a woman that is "crazy" like them. Enter Olivia Taylor Dudley as their quirky love interest (with her own issues) who they encounter as they falsely pose as a transport service for newly released out patients at another facility.

This movie jumps right into action and immediately gives you a good taste of what's to come. I had a very unique experience watching it as it gracefully dances all across the emotional spectrum of the viewer on a regular basis. These characters are full of love yet can become instantly destructive. They can be a perfect example of childlike innocence one second and the next become whirlwinds of selfish chaos and unpredictable violence. It moves and breathes and keeps you unsure of what these characters are capable of (good and bad).

I loved how many moments of genuine wholesomeness were paired with high anxiety/cringe/danger situations. The humor and dialogue is very original and has a lovely personality all its own.

Great to see Tim Hiedecker and Mike Judge make appearances in this movie. Small but very effective and hilarious roles.

All in all i really thought this movie was a very fun ride and delivered a wide range of intense emotions.

Check it out!