riesel72

"Requiem for a Dream" & "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" meets "Boondock Saints"

Some audiences may come out of this with different perspectives, but, I personally saw it as a gritty, dark tale of a group of people that, in between getting high as a kite, devolve from jaded to IDGAF degenerates (some to wildly varying degrees), and then facing consequences of their actions, realizing in the heat of the moment how their relationships have been affected by all of this nihilistic behavior.

There is some humor present but it is very understated. A scene showcasing a psychedelic trip has to be seen to be appreciated - it doesn't go off into the cliché bizarre subtext as you'd expect but keeps it grounded in reality, but in a most entertaining way. There is a balls to the wall action scene or 2 that you normally wouldn't see in an indie film but is pulled off so magnificently here you quickly forget you are watching an indie film.

For an extremely low budget film, it is very resourceful and accomplishes what is on par with popular studio low budget films (whose definition of "low budget" is a few million) that have been made by writer-directors who went on to make huge mainstream films. The only way a big budget could have changed this film is by providing name-recognized stars and perhaps better lighting in some scenes (which screams "low budget indie" look to some, but I personally like the dark and realistic lighting scheme and think it works well and was purposely done this way for artistic vision and not due to lack of funds). This has all the ingredients to later become a cult classic if director Tristan Jensen ever gets the fame he deserves. The masterful editing in Beguiled Company is on par with anything big budget Hollywood submits to award shows.

This mature roller coaster of a movie isn't for everyone, but it definitely deserves to be seen by it's target audience.

This one was a little genre-defying at first but you quickly realize it is a SERIOUS film that takes it's subject matter and characters seriously, but it is also a comedy with some genuine laugh-out loud moments populated by some refreshingly relatable and genuine characters surrounded by a rather good soundtrack.

DO NOT dismiss this as a low-tier "faith based" film, even though almost all the characters are Christian. The scenes know just when to cut away so it is not preachy but instead both showcasing what the life of a Christian is like while allowing audiences to get a good hint at the message the scene is showcasing, even though the message is not being pounded over your head.

It is neither mocking of religious folk nor caving to portraying them the way most faith-based movies do.

These multi-dimensional characters are VERY HUMAN, with their own flaws. That get put into realistic situations. You understand why the characters are the way they are and the choices they make without exposition-heavy scene after scene to explain it.

The plot is not predictable so you will be entertained by the character's surprising choices (and both surprising & sometimes not surprising consequences) that develop throughout the story which culminates into an extended epilogue that is heart-warmingly emotional without being sappy.

And yes, Brian Baumgartner ("Kevin" from the office) does have a substantial role... think Tom Hanks role in "That Thing You Do" except we get to know this multi-dimensional character here a lot more. However, the performances from his fellow actors are equally top-notch so you will very quickly be invested in all these characters instead of remembering Baumgartner is one of the only recognizable stars (which is a testament to all the actors ability). To me, it's much better to get drawn into a story & characters than to stop & think to yourself "these are great actors" (which ye can do after the movie is long over).

While there is no traditional big stadium with huge audience scene, the filmmakers stretched the million dollar budget to make it seem like a film with a much bigger budget but the story & characters are so enthralling, you probably won't care what the budget is as the production values service this story very well.

It's not the greatest movie ever made, but it is not a bad movie at all. It has all the ingredients that make a good film.