The primary phrase heard in “Feeling Randy” is “boner,” which, when taken along with the movie’s title, guarantees a salacious and raunchy comedy. However writer-director Dean Lent’s debut function (not counting the 1987 anthology movie “Border Radio”) is sweeter and rather more chic than the standard teenage-boys-trying-to-lose-their-virginity romp. That could be its plot, however this semiautobiographical mission is much from movies like “Porky’s” or “American Pie.” Set within the Bay Space within the Nineteen Seventies, “Feeling Randy” gives a humorous and delicate portrayal of coming to phrases with one’s sexuality.
Saying its irreverent tone by sly chapter titles written in period-appropriate Recoleta font, and a droll voiceover from its eponymous lead (Reid Miller), “Feeling Randy” wastes no time establishing its premise after which retains the narrative rhythm flowing. The setup is straightforward: 4 teenage boys plan to lose their virginity by taking a street journey to a Nevada brothel. They should discover a automobile and to obtain some cash. In the meantime, the lead character has to take care of his mother and father, sister, a brand new buddy in school and a peculiar older boy who stirs perplexing emotions in him.
Randy is known as all the things from “dandy” to “bizarre” by his mates, in the best way that teenage boys could be merciless and trustworthy on the identical time. To his credit score, Lent by no means explicitly publicizes the character’s sexuality nor makes the movie a coming-out story. As an alternative, that is a couple of teenage boy whom the viewers acknowledges as homosexual however is totally unaware of his true identification. A queer sensibility is paramount within the storytelling because the movie’s humor and sensibilities are all the time surprising and barely off-center, vacillating between candy and odd.
On the candy facet, there’s Randy’s relationship together with his understanding mom (Marguerite Moreau) with whom he shares a love of TV exhibits and who all the time exhibits him that she loves him. There’s additionally the brand new woman in school, Melissa (Kerrice Brooks) with whom he begins an ungainly courtship earlier than they each notice that regardless that they’ve a lot in frequent, they’ll by no means be lovers. Each Moreau and Brooks give “Feeling Randy” a heat wherein each the characters and the viewers can bask.
In the meantime, Randy’s relationship together with his father (Jonathan Sileverman) is certainly odd. Extra inquisitive about his broken-down station wagon than he’s in his household, Dad has weird extracurricular actions that add extra pressure to his relationship with Randy. On the identical time, he could be the one member of the family who is aware of Randy nicely, even when his reactions to him go from exasperation to cruelty. It’s a nifty little bit of casting as Silverman is generally recognized for comedies corresponding to “Weekend at Bernie’s” and right here performs the one character written with out humor.
Blaine Kern III performs a stoned older boy who treats Randy with good humor and a generosity unbecoming of teenage boys. Maybe he’ll grow to be a romantic curiosity, of possibly he’s only a mentor sort who can information Randy alongside. That he by no means fairly turns into both and his relationship with Randy stays fluid and largely unexplained is what offers “Feeling Randy” extra of the chaotic-yet-gentle capability that makes it rather more intriguing than the standard teenage comedy.
As with most road-trip motion pictures, when the boys attain their vacation spot, it doesn’t go precisely as they thought it might. There’s nothing raunchy or overtly lewd about their encounters with the intercourse staff; they could be awkward, however there’s additionally compassion. Randy’s specifically is nicely noticed, even touching, and hints at his true sexuality, even when he nonetheless leaves confused.
True to the movie round him, Miller has a heat and sanguine presence. But there’s nonetheless a glint in his eyes that betrays the mischief he’s certain to get into sooner or later. The colour and hues of the interesting costume design and cinematography add an genuine Nineteen Seventies look. In making a movie about his formative experiences, Lent makes use of delicate innuendos to reach at full readability about sexuality with out being apparent. That’s no straightforward feat. That he did it whereas telling a narrative each transferring and humorous is one thing to be admired.
