Rolling Kansas

Ok. So i saw this movie yesterday at the USCAF 2003 and was graced with the presence of Haden Church for the screening. I always have a hard time watching a movie with the filmmakers (I know, poor me!) because I feel like I have to laugh and that my perception of the movie is changed) Yet the more I think about this movie the more I like it. It is like Road Trip minus the trite love story that always takes away from the film. Though it (sort of) has that element, it really isn't a big part of the movie. I already had a sweet spot for it when I saw Charlie Finn as one of the main characters (the Dimpus Burger guy from Super Troopers) who, I think, is f**king hilarious, though he will probably turn out to only play these kind of parts, the dim-witted yet charming stoner. ANYWAYS, the movie is funny. The characters are vibrant and funny, each carrying their weight of the movie equally well. Gratuitous nudity is always a plus, especially when the chick is smoking hot, and she is. Rip Torn has a sweet bit part as an old stoner, to which i was laughing so hard because, well... it is Rip Torn. It was also good to see the reunion of Thomas Haden Church and Kevin Pollack as comical cops

(the cops from 3000 Miles To Graceland.. awful movie) who are so good together I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with a movie where they were the main characters. It could definitely work and I for one would go see it. Well I'll quit rattling on and just say that if this movie hits theaters nationwide, definitely check it out.

Everything in this weed-coated Thomas Haden Church adventure reminds me of almost any of the Beastie Boys music videos I've seen. Everything from the faded, washed-out, sepia-toned coloring to the fake mustaches worn by THC to conceal his identity as the agent and the state trooper.

It really makes me wonder why the Beasties haven't gotten THC to direct one of their newer videos. That would be cool :)

Anyway, the movie is one of the more original films I've seen lately. It isn't too deep, as popularized in newer films because of Lord of the Rings, Spiderman, etc. and it doesn't rely on expensive computer animation to keep people entertained a la The Specials, a movie featuring the almighty Church. Too bad that comedy is beginning to fail in the box office (and on network TV) or we'd start seeing more movies like this. Everybody already knows my favorite character is Dinkadoo... just look at my "net name". If I had to make a recommendation to anyone in order to see this film, I'd tell them that the film's humor is similar to Office Space (which I enjoy a lot).

The movie itself is fairly uneventful, not much happens, but it's funny as hell. Great performances by the cast of actors who all played tiny parts, but very funny parts in other films. It is in a sense a stoner movie, but for most of the film the characters aren't smoking and most of the jokes don't stem from stoner jokes. The humor comes from the fact that these characters have nothing in common and most of them are ridiculously over the top. However, this film entertains from start to finish with off beat humor and solid directing from Thomas Hayden Church. Figuring the power DVD has this film could definitely develop a cult following. ***1/2 out of ****

Rolling Kansas has the unique opportunity of actually being a good character driven film hidden beneath the paper mache surface of a stoner movie. A gaggle of young men, a car, a cooler of beer on a search of mythical medical marijuana oasis in Kansas. Need I say more, Yes! These guys are interesting, and they are funny dare I say that they have depth, but not in the traditional sense, more like we don't dumb ourselves down to be funny, depth. Yes, it is a silly movie with a silly premise, three brothers attempt to make a financial killing from harvesting pot that their parents found in Kansas when the boys were wee lads. They find a map and get the wheels, hyjinx ensu. Nothing new there, it's just that the pace and the dialog are actually engaging. Roll on kansas, roll on!

I almost gave up on this movie after 15 or 20 minutes. The characters are weird, the plot is weak, and the production value isn't all that impressive. However, the movie does start to pick up, and there are some genuinely funny parts. They kept the length reasonable, making this movie worth watching once.

I will say that I was expecting some more stoner comedy. For some reason -- maybe because they didn't want to be labeled a "stoner comedy" -- they shy away from any actual on-screen smoking (even though they already had an R rating). The plot revolves around trying to find a crop of weed, but most of the humor has nothing to do with the sweet herb. It's mostly just a bunch of weird dudes who are down on their luck looking to get paid.

All in all, I would call it decent. Not hilarious, but not unwatchable either.