Delco: The Movie

The movie is centered on coming of age in Delaware County, PA ,a suburb of Philadelphia and, honestly, one of the most unique and quirky places in the US.(Yes, the place whose dialect challenged Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown, the place that produced Tina Fey, birthplace of the hoagie AND the stromboli, and probably the least admired county in PA) It does drag a bit at times and it is apparent that it is a lower budget production from a new filmmaker making his first feature length movie, but the movie does deliver laughs and heart. If you are from Delco, you MUST see the movie. If you are NOT from Delco, give it a watch anyway... and pray for us!

I got on board with this movie back when the crowdfunding started, and have followed it all the way through til the premiere. Why? Because nobody frickin talks about Delco, and this movie is. It manages to piece together a genuine picture of what life was like as a teenager growing up in Delco - one defined by isolation, grittiness, and self-loathing. I grew up here, in fact, and took the very first opportunity I had to get out and never come back.

I went into this movie as somebody who hated this county, and oddly enough, by the end, I felt a new sympathy for Delco, largely because this movie asks the simple question, "why does everyone from Delco hate on it so much?"

I thought that it struck a careful balance between portraying Delco as a living stereotype and portraying Delco as a believable place that people live. The story is simple, well-rounded, and every plot thread that begins has an end somewhere - which is way more than I can say for movies that even A24 is releasing these days. Character development is easy to grasp, and religious themes are largely cursory; the conclusion of the story makes it clear that the lead character has to reach a new, less fundamentalist understanding of faith.

Scenes tend to run on in parts, but I liked that a lot of the ancillary characters were given enough airtime to actually have a real personality; it felt truer to most high school romp films that way.

All in all, I think this is a pretty good film. Delco is a character in the story, not the joke of it, and I think that's a meaningful distinction. It means that people outside of Delco will understand and be able to access the movie, but if you're from here or connected to here, you're guaranteed to have a real emotional connection. See it if you can.

The opening is a montage of all Delco locations which will be familiar to anyone from Delco. Nearly follows a classical climactic structure, as the movie takes places in just a bit more than 24 hours. The inclusion of Brian O'Halloran definitely gives the movie a View Askewniverse connection, and Brian A Wilson is a "that guy!" character actor who has appeared in many shows and movies. You may also recognize original American Idol co-host Brian Dunkleman, and J. J Cohen from Back to the Future (dork thinks he's gonna drown!) shows up, and gets to call the teenaged characters "dorks!"

Chris is a talented guy, and I fully expect to see several more projects set in this universe. Also, if you're worried about this being "a religious movie", you may be missing the point of the movie, and the arc of Wayne, one of the three main characters. All the young leads are excellent, and the video game clerks steal the show in several scenes! Also, who knew Ms Skivo had such acting chops?

I saw the movie at the premiere and again at the latest showing and it is entertaining and nostalgic! I think even if you're not from Delco you can relate to the angst of that time of life growing up and feeling like there has to be more out in the world for you. A young man with a life path laid out for him by family finds solace and adventure with friends in his home town.

The acting was well done! It was a treat to see Dunkleman doing his thing as the not so supportive dad. As a comedic actor he plays a character many can remember from their own town when growing up.

The trio of Harding, Pfeiffer and Kuerzi were relatable as three teens looking for adventure in small town America! Oh how I remember doing some things I wouldn't usually attempt if it weren't for that one friend!

The backdrop of all the places I went to years ago and the places that hold special memories was an extra bonus!! Many of the laughs came from the nostalgia of things that happened at that time and the places that no longer exist.

It's a feel good movie with laughs and provoking memories we can all relate to no matter where you are from. Well done!

I literally burst out laughing several times throughout Delco the Movie and a few heartfelt scenes near the end had my eyes tearing up. Great ensemble cast with truly great writing and ensemble cast...I was fortunate to see the movie twice during opening weekend in Media and absolutely fell in love with the main cast Jess, Adam, Wayne, Bob Hess, the Paster, Reverand and Officer Winnie - truly excellent casting choices and performances all around. Plus as a music guy I'm sometimes critical of the soundtrack choices especially in an independent film but oh my goodness the songs chosen for different scenes were a perfect fit. Can't wait till Delco the Movie comes to streaming so we can see it again...