Puddle Cruiser

Since one would most likely be watching this movie after seeing Super Troopers and/or Club Dread, one would be tempted naturally to compare this movie to the others. One should keep in mind this was their first film, and the budget was very low. That said... it is a good movie, well worth watching. It has several laughs out loud moments which in itself is worth the rental fee. It is very slow paced, and the film is almost completely dialog driven. However, there is great humor to be found in this dialog, the same humor which is found in S.T. or C.D..

Having been out of college for over 10 years now, I imagine this would be even funnier watching this as a college student, as the plot centers around college life in a small pond. However, it has a nostalgic nature seeing this, as it did bring back some of my college memories.

The acting of the lead character by Steve Lemme is extremely flat and tedious, helping to keep the pace fairly slow. (Lemme however in S.T. makes up for this ten fold.) Fortunately, the supporting characters played by the rest of the Lizard troop are exaggerated and outlandish. The repartee between Kevin and Paul's characters is particularly hilarious.

Jay and Kevin are excellent editors, and Jay also chose great music for the soundtrack. Jay also avoids the usual mistake of a young film-maker with a dialog driven script by having good and interesting cinematography. The mail room scenes with Freaky are funny and show off Jay's creativity behind the camera.

Again this is a good movie. It of course doesn't stand up well against Super Troopers, (which in my opinion is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.) And it will not be as visually as interesting as Club Dread which must have had a budget 100 times bigger than Puddle Cruiser. But it is a good and funny movie which can stand up on its own. I highly recommend it to any Lizard fans, and any fans of good comedy.

Super Troopers was an instant classic. Club Dread, while disappointing to many, had its moments. Puddle Cruisers has fewer moments. I saw this movie on the shelf of my local video store and saw at the bottom that it was made by the Broken Lizard group who made Super Troopers, so naturally I picked it up. I only found one scene to be laugh out loud funny. A far cry from Super Troopers. All in all, I was very disappointed. I would not recommend this to anyone, unless you have an abundance of free time, and really need to kill some time. However, you're better off playing video games, or watching something that might make you laugh or think.

Like a lot of people on IMDb, I saw Super Troopers first and laughed my *ss off, thinking these guys were the second coming of Monty Python or something. Then I saw Club Dread, which had a significantly higher budget and more studio support, and I was certainly let down. So when I saw Puddle Cruiser on the shelf, I thought this might be the holy grail of Broken Lizard movies: an early effort in which these guys' talents could really shine, without being overpowered by the production.

But alas this sluggish, only sporadically amusing film brings to light one glaring fact about the BL team: these guys may be charismatic and talented, but writing is NOT their strong suit. This script is simply not funny, and no amount of natural comedic talent can cover that up. That makes it all the clearer why Super Troopers worked so well, while Club Dread didn't. Just compare the scripts, and you'll see that one is full of great jokes and situations ripe with comedic possibility, while the other is more of a premise than anything else.

So while Puddle Cruiser is a charming look at the roots of these guys' collegiate comedy bond, it is far from a solid film. Watch it for the nostalgia value, and hope these guys put as much effort into their future scripts as they did on Super Troopers.

A hilarious movie made by a comedy group called the "Broken Lizard". They were recently-graduated Colgate students who raised a pile of money to make their movie. Armed with a great script, a bunch of unknown actors and a great soundtrack they made their movie on the campus about a group of friends, a girl, and a guy named Traci Shannon aka "Thunder". The acting is great, the lighting and sounds are amazingly well done. It is amazing what you can do with $160,000 and a good imagination. They are currently touring the country in a Winnebago, going to college campuses to show their movie. Look for it! You won't be disappointed.

Puddle Cruiser is an offbeat indie comedy that serves as a nostalgic throwback to the college experience. Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and featuring a cast of relatively unknown actors who would later become prominent in the comedy scene, including members of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, this film offers a refreshing take on the trials and tribulations of young adulthood.

Set on the fictional campus of Holden University, the story follows the misadventures of a group of college students as they navigate relationships, academics, and the existential angst that comes with the territory. At its core, Puddle Cruiser is a character-driven piece, focusing on the dynamics between the quirky ensemble cast rather than relying on big-budget spectacle.

The film's strength lies in its witty dialogue and genuine chemistry among the actors. Each character feels distinct and fully realized, from the earnest protagonist, Felix (played by Jay Chandrasekhar), to the eccentric members of his circle of friends. Their interactions are filled with clever banter and absurd situations that keep the audience engaged from start to finish.

Puddle Cruiser lacks the polished production values of mainstream comedies, its low-budget aesthetic adds to its indie charm. The cinematography captures the laid-back atmosphere of college life, with scenes ranging from dorm room hangouts to late-night escapades around campus. The soundtrack, featuring a mix of indie rock and alternative tunes, complements the film's vibe perfectly.

Despite its comedic focus, Puddle Cruiser also touches on deeper themes of friendship, identity, and the uncertainty of the future. Beneath the surface-level humor, there's a sense of authenticity that resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the tumultuous transition from adolescence to adulthood.