D.I.N.K.s (Double Income, No Kids)

Yes, Robert Alaniz makes independent films. But don't dare call them low-budget movies. Oh, he creates on a shoestring. But you'd never know that from the product on the screen. Robert's name on a film assures an experience that exceeds most of what you'll see coming out of Hollywood. Don't ask how he does it. Just enjoy it.

Having tackled mystery and science fiction in films like "Barrymore's Dream" and "Timeservers," the Frankfort auteur has moved on to comedy. "D.I.N.K.s" (Double-Income, No Kids) does not disappoint. It's light and uplifting with a real message subtly injected.

Of course, Robert has a secret weapon in all his films— his screenwriter. He has a great one. Himself. Robert has a passion for fleshing out his characters and making audiences care about them. And because not every scene in his movies is there to advance the plot, sometimes he can fool you when a minor subplot turns into a pivotal moment later in the story.

"D.I.N.K.s" is the story of Richard and Rachel, who live in a fictional Chicago suburb and have chosen not to have children. This puts them at odds with most of their friends and neighbors, who consider the couple's lives incomplete and their attitudes selfish. Yet, as we see, the others are the ones creating a generation of self-indulgent, spoiled brats. Fed up with the childish antics of both parents and their offspring, Richard (a free-lance writer) begins to write about the discrimination childless couples face. As the idea begins to grow, he eventually finds himself in conflict with municipal authority.

The acting in "D.I.N.K.s" is top notch. David Tibble as Richard and Deborah Craft as Rachel have a great sense of comedic timing— due, no doubt, to their extensive stage work. It has to be a coincidence since filming was before the Chicago mayoral election, but I found that Marco Garcia as the town's mayor bore enough resemblance to Rahm Emanuel to add an extra dimension to his already-choice character. Steve Parks' over-the-top lawyer was hilarious and Katherine Trost stole every scene she was in.

It's easy to say "Support local filmmakers" and "Support independent films." But eventually they have to be worth your support. Robert and "D.I.N.K.s" deliver the goods.

This film plays like an old man screaming about the problem with the youth in an empty train car. It's a massive misfire of a story, angry at the mere thought that children exist, and that everyone else is out to get those who don't have kids of their own. Populated by extras looking directly at the camera, and obnoxious, toxic main characters we are left in a world that not only feels false, and low budget, but also not fun...in the least. Jokes that aren't funny, jokes that are causally racist, jokes that literally quote other movies...what's to like about this? Sitting through the entire film was like a marathon, the endurance it took to wait out to see if the plot went anywhere would have been funny, if only the film at least landed one joke. By the way the plot goes nowhere. The film is angry, it came across like hot venom on the screen. I don't watch comedies to see an angry old man rant about how terrible children are, and how their parents are trash as well. The film get's a full "F" from me, no part of it worked for me, not sure how this is a Christian film either.