The Flats

I really enjoyed how the filmmakers framed the shots. They were evocative of other movies,without being obvious enough to stick out. The story was engaging, but had some clunky, heavy, dialogue which at times could break the scene ;especially egregious was the card playing scene towards the beginning, though with more experience I'm sure those types of bump will smooth out. I enjoyed Chad's acting for the most part, though I do hope he stops channeling Matthew Lillard at his worst. I appreciated the organic way in which the story developed and really hope these guys can get funded and continue on to make another feature.

This rural tale of troubled teen boys trying to find a future in their small Northwest town avoids being sappy and trite but it never finds it's soul nor does it require the audience to care about the two lead. Harper has problems, often getting into trouble with the law and drinking too much. He comes home only to create problems with his friend Luke's life and relationship with his girlfriend. Unfortunately the story never creates enough dramatic tension between Luke and Harper. The Requa brothers do a good job capturing the juvenile behavior of teen males and Chad Lindberg is fun to watch, but nothing interesting is going on beyond jokes in the bathroom and rants at diners and parties. One scene even forces some bad philosophy on the audience via a card game at the local hangout house. I don't know of any teens who hang out and play cards when they could be partying and drinking. The cinematography and the soundtrack are feature-worthy but the story needed a lot more work to interest an audience beyond the local crowd.

I liked this film very much; it struck me as beautifully crafted and full of subtle emotion. Although the main characters initially seemed different from most of the people in my own life, I found myself very interested in their lives and stories. A few months after seeing this movie, another movie with a similar story line was more broadly released and more critically acclaimed- yet of the two films, I much preferred "The Flats", which seemed to be the prototype for the other. By the end of the movie I felt that I understood the people portrayed, especially the main character; their drama felt so real. Did I mention that I loved the ending?

I'd heard a lot of good things about this film, but was still very reluctant to watch it. I feared it was gonna be yet another example of overrated "artistic" dribble that bored the living crap out of me. I figured there were better ways to waste a couple of hours of my life than sitting through yet another over-hyped (and achingly dull) indie film. Eventually, though, curiosity won out and I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, I found out pretty quickly that this is one indie flick that is definitely worthy of the hype!! After a somewhat slow start, The Flats evolves into a very moving film that manages to hold the interest of even an ADD-affected, action-junkie like me (which is no small feat!!). The sweet and simple story completely drew me in by mixing together dramatic moments that felt authentic and genuine with comedic moments that caught me off guard with their originality. It was refreshing to (finally) find an indie film that didn't feel contrived and avoided taking itself too seriously. After watching The Flats, I'm a lot more open-minded about giving these smaller films a try, and I'm looking forward to the next project from the Requa Bros. If The Flats is any indication, I think it's fair to say we can expect amazing things from this talented writing/directing team in the future...After all, anyone who introduces the "European Cross Grip" to the masses is definitely worth keeping an eye on!! :)

Breathtaking in its cinematography and compelling in its story, The Flats is a great first effort for the Requa brothers. Kelly and Tyler do an excellent job of portraying a coming of age tale with subtly and compassion. Far from depicting the damaged Harper as a one-dimensional character, which would have been easy to do, the Requa brothers craft a multi-faceted portrait of a man forced to come to terms with his past, his reckless behavior, and his entrance into adulthood. Chad Lindbergh does a fantastic job of playing Harper with the subtly and skill he has become known for. It is clear that he is poised to break through into super-stardom. That said, however, this film would not have risen to such comedic heights without the able assistance of Greg Fawcett in the role of Chaz. For me, he stole the show. If you consider yourself an independent film buff, your resume will not be complete without seeing this film. I highly recommend it.