Go West

As is the case with any feature film based upon and written by a sketch-comedy property, Go West is a mixed bag of material.

Some of the scenes really fell flat with repetitive "jokes" that were devoid of any sort of structure that could be construed as comedy.

But the infectious personalities of the cast and the blend of dry delivery and absurd style of humor really worked for me more often than it didn't. The film's finale also had plenty of cleverly-inserted payoffs to jokes that were set up earlier in the film.

These types of movies usually have a few bright spots amidst a total mess, but for me this had some really messy spots amidst a mostly admirable effort from a small studio.

Some funny stuff, but jokes about bodily functions play way too much of a role in the move (usually bowel movements and farting).

It was kind of a feminist movie (i.e., it likes to man-bash and cry about the oppression of women).

It's basically a compilation of skits thrown together to form a story, and, while some are humorous, many of the skits lack a solid punchline (they just kind of just fizzle out).

Lastly, I am not sure what is included in the content advisory for this film, but there are some aspects of this movie that some audience members will not appreciate. Specifically, the film treats making a deal with the devil as a silly, no-big-deal sort of thing; there is a surprising amount of blood (especially in the blood coughs); and there is a torture scene (that is played for fun but does involve real torture methods).

IN A NUTSHELL: The story is about a crazy group of pioneers who braved the harsh elements and numerous mishaps to travel thousands of miles out west to find a place to call home.

The film was directed by Stephen Meek and Jeremy Warner. Writing credits go to Adam Berg, Whitney Call, and Mallory Everton.

The cast came from a group of college students at Brigham Young University who performed in a comedy troupe called Studio C. Since graduating, they're known as JK! Studios. I'm so happy for them and their success. Congratulations on making a feature film together! Their true-blue fans will definitely get a kick out of this campy flick.

THINGS I LIKED: The comedic cast includes Natalie Madsen, Whitney Call, Stephen Meek, Matthew Meese, Jason Gray, Mallory Everton, Jeremy Warner, James Perry, Stacey Harkey, Adam Berg, Ruth Clarke, Matt Moen, and many more. Almost all of them played more than one character, showcasing their versatile talents.

The title has previously been used in a Buster Keaton movie in 1925, then in another movie in 1940 with the Marx Brothers. The 1979 song by The Village People, which was later covered by the Petshop Boys in 1992, is featured in this movie.

I adore Sean Astin and loved him in The Lord of the Rings. (Best movie trilogy ever!) His character in that movie says, "Potatoes...boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in your shoe." Loved it. We hear that same line used by one of the characters in this movie as a sweet nod to Sean Astin as the narrator. Nice touch.

There's a random musical number that's actually pretty funny.

The film was written by JK! Studios themselves, but there are also gems in the film when cast members improv'd many lines, enhancing the script. For example, the "I want to watch a man go over a waterfall..." moment in the campfire scene was delivered by Mallory Everton spontaneously.

Jeremy Warner acted in the film, co-directed the film, co-wrote the film, did most of the editing, and much of the special effects, as well as all of the musical score used in the film.

They filmed in Utah, mostly outdoors, from October 15 to Nov 11, 2022, to get the movie in the can before winter. The weather quickly turned frigid and began to snow halfway through their shoot. Luckily, it was in sequence, so most of the snow worked for them and they ended up with some perfectly snowy backgrounds on set as a result. While the snow was beautiful to look at, it made for very cold filming sessions throughout the production.

Stacey Harkey actually played in a couple of video ads for a dating app my son invented called Mutual.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Not all of the humor lands, but sometimes, the writers knock it out of the park.

I adore Mallory Everton, so I was disappointed that she didn't get to play more characters and show off her wide range.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: No profanity.

There is a LOT of potty humor and jokes in poor taste Lots of blood, snot, and talk of other bodily fluids.

When I first saw the ads and trailer for this movie (showing in Tucson) I wondered if I should go. But I decided it would be nice to see a NON-MARVEL film, since Marvels are all simply terrible now, and also to support a new film from independent film makers.

I am glad I went! This is a film that looks and IS far better than it's modest budget would indicate! The writing is excellent, incisive and hilarious. You will have to watch closely so you don't miss some of the humor, as it moves very briskly along. There are no slow spots in this film. The photography, the music, and the details of the scenes and wardrobes are all top class. It's kind of like "Monty Python and the Holy Grail Go Cowboy" As one woman who was watching it near me commented at the end: "Well, that was just totally cute, wasn't it?" I had to agree about that! This is a film without a message or agenda, just a fluffy movie of pioneer humor, that works from the beginning to the end. They also take the "mystical advice from beyond the grave" that is taken so seriously in everything from Star Wars to Spiderman, and give it a far more funny twist that is probably more accurate, too, if such phantom advice even exists.

It was an enjoyable afternoon!

From BYU's Divine Comedy to Studio C to JK Studios, this group of comedians have proven they have what it takes to make people laugh. With Go West, they've done what I always wished I could have done with my friends back in the day, make a feature-length film for a wide audience to enjoy. And while it's obvious that this movie was made on a shoestring (boot string?) budget, the writing is solid, the humor is plentiful, and the acting is entertaining. My family enjoyed watching this together to commemorate Pioneer Day and my kids have been quoting it even since then. You understand. Good job, gang!