The Maladjusted

I was so impressed with how this film turned out. Great work by the Director and DP. The acting was believable, and the crowd at the premiere was laughing genuinely throughout the entire film. This was not only a result of great writing, but also spot-on timing by the actors. Clayton Myers stood out to me by really nailing the role of Carl. I am also very impressed with the scoring. The music was among the best I have heard in an indie film. I will not be surprised to see the awards start piling up from the festivals. If you have the opportunity to see The Maladjusted on the schedule for one of the festivals you are attending I would make every effort to grab a seat. Just be careful not to get one next to Yan Zamolla.

I had a great time with The Maladjusted. It's a raunchy comedy about a bunch of 30somethings that are coming of age - maybe way to late. But hey, better late than never, right? The characters are familiar enough that we quickly feel like we know them, but fresh enough that there is still more to discover and some surprises to be had. The movie strikes a nice balance between the light and the dark, though the gross-out humor might cross the line for some here and there (I had no problems with it). For the most part the cast does a really solid job, my favorite being Clayton Meyers whose endearing oddball (Carl) was always fun to watch. This almost felt like the sequel that should have been to the American Pie movies; where the guys that partied throughout their teens and twenties have hit the proverbial wall and need to man up or be doomed to the sad existence of desperately trying to be a twenty year old when you are so obviously not. In that sense I felt like John C. Bailey's character of Yon served as almost a Ghost of Christmas Future to the guys - showing them where they are likely to wind up if they don't change. Anyway, good cast, good laughs, lots of fun and gasps (and tons of music), check it out if you get a chance.

I have not always been the biggest fan of independent films and often quickly lose interest as the plot wavers. However I was pleasantly surprised when The Maladjusted kept me laughing throughout the whole movie. Often very raunchy comedy, I found it to be of the humor that only I and some of my closest friends appreciate, but often would not repeat outside of our group. Rarely do you find that type of humor outside the closed circles of a group of guys. Equally surprising was the reaction of my date who laughed unwittingly at some of the more graphic scenes that I would have expected her to gag at. It is a rare form of quality to evoke laughter from a woman that would sooner slap me across the face for the same joke. Well Done!

I saw The Maladjusted at its premiere in Bethesda. While it was a departure from the zombie gore-fest I've come to love from the production team, it kept the appropriate level of camp to make this a very enjoyable summer/adult comedy.

The acting was very good and the production was excellent. Carl (Clayton Myers) was an excellent compilation of every guy you've known that sucks with women. He really nailed the part. And Yon Zamolla (John C. Bailey) created a lot of laughs. I can't wait to see it again! CHUG IN YOUR FACE!

Chris Kiros is a very talented writer and director. I look forward to seeing more films from this bright "young" talent.

First-look at the dates on the previous reviews, all in July 2013. That should be your first clue. Unfortunately the production value of this film is very low. For example the camera is too close in close ups, cutting off the actors' heads. Constantly. It is almost like it was shot using an iPhone. The apparent age discrepancy between the make/female actors makes this story feel "off". Besides that the movie is just boring. You can't follow who is who because they just sit around drinking talking about relationships, no one stands out. Because there isn't any character development you aren't invested. Which is a shame because I have such high hopes for films like these and really root for indies, but skip this one.