Crackin' the Code

You might get a feeling of deja vu when you watch Crackin the Code, and I don't mean the Denzel movie. You might feel like you've seen this movie before. But you haven't. It hasn't been released yet. But you probably have seen a few movies like it. If you grew up during the hey day of the Golden Age of Indies, you've probably seen Clerks and Swingers. It's obvious that the writer/director got his inspiration from those films. He definitely pays tribute to, but he doesn't bite from those films. The rapid fire dialogue and 80's pop references are reminiscent of Kevin Smith. The jokes and puns come in quantity. Lots of smiles and chuckles. The characters of Travis and Bill are very Randall and Dante.

The male friendships are defined by The Code. Rules that govern how a guy should act under different circumstances in respect to and of his of male friends. While Swingers never actually explicitly talked about "a code", it was obvious how important friendship and brotherhood are to guys in their twenties. In that vain, Crackin, is Swingers-like. Testosterone driven exploits that are always buttressed by male bonds. Even the advice that Travis gives to Bill comes with a tinge of similar Trent and Mike talks about women and life.

Crackin the Code is an ultra low budget film. I hate when filmmakers try to make apologies for their films by saying, "Since we didn't have much money...blah, blah, blah." There are imperfections in any and all films no matter the budget. The ultra-low budget filmmaker needs to make sure that his film's imperfections don't take away from the viewing experience. There are some moments where the ADR was obvious. But the filmmaker doesn't need to apologize for it in this case, because the overall story and character arcs are strong enough to make you look and listen over the technical issues. I enjoy the indies from the 90's. This is definitely a throwback film. Some may feel it's dated. It's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But for a fun, nostalgic trip down memory lane with a little "can-do" indieness thrown in, this might very well be a movie for you.

I had the opportunity to screen this locally and was impressed with the story line. A good comedy about messed up relationships. I enjoyed watching the male perspective of 'the code' and how the writer was able to give you multiple points of view of how this code is interpreted and, ultimately, enforced. It does have a bit of a '90's' feel to it but that is in no way a bad thing. I prefer to have my morals read to me with profanity, it's easier to swallow that way. And if I can laugh while that's all happening, than it's even better! I really thought the performances were outstanding by some of the actors. In particular, the supporting actors and random characters through out. My vote for most impressive performance would go to John San Nicolas. To be able to be that funny and sincere at the same time is truly a gift.

Story and acting aside, what I was most blown away with was the budget they made this for. Had they not listed it, I'd never have guessed it so low! I would highly recommend anyone wanting to make films with very small budgets to check this out! Looking forward to more work from these folks.

What do you do if you're attracted to your best bud's soon to be ex-girl? Bro's before hos? You already know the story line. The Code as defined by many has rules and with those rules, there are exceptions. What are they exactly? It seems everyone has their own version, but one thing resonates with each, that is; the situation has to be handled delicately! Steve Coker delivers an original comedy that cracks the "male code" wide open and delivers… punch to the lines of talented Actors. The cinematography has that visually appealing comic book look. Hot, dark colors intensify scenes and the ADR adds to the gritty Indy feel of this film. Undaunted by the "F" word both literally and figuratively as he decided to see/work past funding limitations and created an instant Indy classic that has that TV party appeal. A true d**k flick, must-see!

Crackin the Code is a fun romantic story about a guy who wants his best friend's soon-to-be ex-wife. Bill (the main character) tries to figure out a way to be able to see Travis's wife, Victoria and not hurt his best friend at the same time.

There are lots of twists and turns and great scenes in this film. It's one of the first movie's to explore the male code of conduct which is not to date anyone's friends family members or ex-girlfriends.

I enjoyed the storyline because of the interesting relationships between Bill/Travis/Alexis/Victoria. Everyone is intertwined together seamlessly.

To find out how the story ends and whether or not if Bill gets Victoria you need to get the film and watch it! Worthwhile definitely!