Pester

"Pester", written & directed by Eric Gerber, is a film that really snuck up on me. When I first heard about it at the Milwaukee Film Festival I went home and found the trailer and became instantly drawn into the unique visual style and a really somber, mellow performance from lead Nick Sommer (Blood Junkie, Billy Club & Don't Go to the Reunion) which I had not seen from this often comedy actor.

It's hard to be subjective toward the film as I know a few of the members involved, but I had never met Eric Gerber before seeing the film. What I found so endearing about his work as the director and cinematographer was how he was able to get naturalistic, real performances from everyone involved and how he shot this seemingly low budget film in such a way that feels like it had a lot more support behind it.

Tonally I'd compare the film to Dan Gilroy's "Nightcrawler" in the way it shows you the dark sides behind every human being and the less colorful areas of Los Angeles.

Without giving too much away, "Pester" tells the story of Paul Pester (Nick Sommer) and his drug addicted brother Ethan (Mathew Dunlap) and how Paul uses the family pest removal business as a way to not only help his brother stay clean, but help bring them closer together. Sometimes funny, often thought provoking, "Pester" is a film that should be getting far more attention that it has been.

If given the chance, seek out this film.

A horror film, a city study, and a deeply realized family portrait all at once, PESTER is unique. Set in a darkling LA nowhere PESTER is shot in locations so forlorn they are instant, heart-breaking classics of the genre. Eric Gerber's tactile cinematography is excellent, always beautiful even when picturing what we would normally consider repulsive. The performances, particularly the sensitive portrayals of the Pester brothers by Nick Sommer and Matthew Dunlop -- not to speak of their monstrous father, Thaine Allison -- are deep. There are scenes in PESTER that will make you squirm, and others that will chill you to the bone. But, unlike many exercises in horror, PESTER is not just about cheap thrills. There is a hard-won moral vision at its core. This film takes us on a trip through the byways of hell, as we struggle with the Pesters to reach the other side.

The way Eric Gerber (Director/Writer/DP) was able to say so much with so little is a testament to something I call the Binocular effect. The Binocular effect is when you look at something that seems so ordinary from far away that when viewed with binoculars has the effect to change a perspective suggestively occupying your interest without needing to know the dialog, this is the subtlety of Eric Gerber's craft to which he infects "Pester" with. What I hope is that if you come across this movie at some point in the near future you will give it a chance. A true independent film with a wonderfully intriguing art house feel "Pester" will easily keep your attention and in turn catch you off guard with the nature of how it's presented.

I've had the pleasure of seeing Eric Gerber's previous work before Pester. I began the Milwaukee Short Film Festival 20 years ago, and continue to still run it to this day. During that time Eric was just a film student in the area when he submitted his work, and even as a young student he had a clear vision of how he saw the world.

Watching his work grow over the years, to this his first feature has been a real pleasure. His art has grown immensely, the way he studies his subjects hasn't changed, but his insights into have.

Being his own DP on his first feature help reinforce that. The imagery as usual with Eric's work are not only beautifully photographed but gives its characters layers beyond what you are witnessing.

The dialogue is sparse, and that's perfect for this film because beyond the imagery, the acting is first rate. Much is said in just the the most subtle body language. A knowing look. The hunched over posture of contemplating something. A dismissive wave. This extraordinary cast of unknowns is headed up by Nick Sommer who plays Paul Pester, a son to a fading empire. The one who might be the most stable in this small three person family unit, that is until the film takes a closer look at him.

In today's market Pester is a hard sell, but it worth it if you give it a chance. It's a film that is quiet but at the same time packs a punch. A true Independent film in today's sea of fighting robots and pretentious self important films begging for an Oscar.

Seek it out.

Pester was one of the best independent films I have seen in a long time. Watching this family's dynamic drastically change throughout the film was delightfully thought provoking. Nick Sommer said as much with his characters gentle nuances, as he did with his dialog.

While in the beginning of the film it seems to be an open and shut case, the films situations morph into meaningful questions about what traps each and every one of us in our everyday lives.  Who is more normal, more dysfunctional, more sad and more abusive, are all themes that run throughout this movie.  

It asks the viewer to think about who the hero is, who the villain is, how many victims, as well as how many different roles humans play throughout their lifetimes.  Finally putting an emphasis on freedom and the challenges that present themselves to achieve even a small amount of true happiness.

Pester is a must see movie. Well done!