WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
WATCH THE FILM VIA AMAZON PRIME HERE
First, the Recap:
There is an innate sweetness, an almost sublime innocence, found when love permeates the air in a time of utter annihilation. Does not the specter of complete desolation from which the world might not ever recover from induce a state of beautiful euphoria when pursuing that which you’ve always desired, yet remains frustratingly elusive? Well, ok, maybe not in any stable sense of reality, but in the realm of existence experienced by Bohemia High School senior Andy (Edward Griffin), this notion means everything. Even as the faculty runs bomb drills, shows instructional videos, and act as heralds of the impending nuclear doom that awaits everyone, Andy only has one idea in his head–to finally take Bethany (Marcy Rylan) to the prom.
Despite the frustrated, beleaguering heckles and doubting comments from his friends including hobby store clerk Adeline (Kristen Caldwell), retail employee Cliff (Blake Metzler), and D&D fanatic Eugene (Timothy Gillespie) and his geeky “minions” Chuck (Wesley Oakes) and Squick (Edward Horatio Lam), Andy presses forward with his grand scheme to win Bethany’s attention and, ideally, affections. Further obstacles to his quest arise, however, via Bethany’s cocky, hyper-jock boyfriend Chip (Michael Carbonaro) and his group of “it” pals including ridiculously “slow” jock Roger (Dan McInerney) and fellow footballer Tom (Neil Schwary) along with Tom’s gal pal/Bethany’s BFF Kate (Laurie Orr). Can Andy find the way to make his childhood dream come true, or will nuclear holocaust and other minor factors thwart him?
Next, my Mind:
It’s all the goofiness of “Revenge of the Nerds” with the additional giddy eccentricities and thematic explorations found in more contemporary teen-based comedic efforts raging from “She’s All That”, “10 Things I Hate About You”, and “Sky High” when it comes to this 78-minute indie feature from writer/director/executive producer Marc Dworkin and director/executive producer/cinematographer/editor Eugene Lehnert. The viewer can go all nostalgic by recollecting the oh-so-true volatilities of high school via plentiful, intentionally exaggerated illustrations of the overall awkwardness found during those years involving unrequited/obsessive love, the impetuousness of youth, cliques, reputations, not seeing people for who they really are, and not yet understanding the importance of what actually counts in life, with everything neatly wrapped into a hilarious, yet purposeful, doomsday scenario and one young man’s borderline stalker-ish pursuit to win the girl of his dreams.
Let’s also not forget having to be reminded of those wonderful “instructional” videos made back in the 40’s/50’s that had legitimate points to make, but such painfully cheesy delivery of the messages that made them hard to take seriously. There are animated elements, executed through pencil drawings, intermixed with the live action throughout the film, and it adds a facet of entertainment to the proceedings that is quite witty and engaging, leading to a finale that might show getting what you want might not always be the best for those involved. The well-conceived Alt Rock/Pop soundtrack fits perfectly into events, aiding in giving the film its modern vibe amidst the throwback components.
Griffin is a complete stitch as Andy, a lovable oddball/loser/nerdy guy who really just wants to be treated like a human being while also exercising his rights to ask out the most popular girl in school to prom and not been seen as a fool for doing so. Despite his friends thinking he’s nuts for trying, Andy maintains his resolve, even when it garners unwanted attention from Bethany’s pompous boyfriend. Beyond the rather creepy depth his preoccupation with Bethany goes, one cannot help but root for Andy as an underdog story, and Griffin’s mannerisms, body language, and overall delivery make the character so enjoyable to watch. In the same way, Rylan also excels in playing Bethany, the hip, hot-and-she-knows-it chick who all the guys want and all the girls want to emulate. Despite a goody two-shoes exterior, Bethany’s sole focus is being linked up to jock extraordinaire Chip, of which she is immensely proud, and therefore Andy’s existence isn’t even on her radar until he makes more direct incursion into her world. Disconcerted by the unanticipated attention and scope of his obsession with her, events spiral out of control once he’s surprised her with the prom invite. Rylan totally encompasses the attitudes and actions of a high school queen bee to a “T”, delightfully so.
Primary supporting roles are many here, including Carbonaro as Bethany’s “it” guy Chip, whose over-the-top bravado, slick charisma, and raging ego is a riot, Caldwell as the adorable girl-next-door Adeline, who secretly pines for someone she just wishes would notice her that way, Metzler as average, hard-working, nice guy Cliff, who also has a little crush himself that he hopes to explore, Gillespie as the D&D-nerd-to-the-extreme Eugene, whose role-playing has really become who he is to uproarious levels, Oakes and Lam as Eugene’s de facto “minions” Chuck and Squick, obeying every word and taking on any action their “master” requests with slightly disturbing enthusiasm, McInerney as Chip’s dumb jock right hand man Roger, a total tribute to Ogre from “Nerds”, Schwary as Chip’s other “follower” Tom, who tries his best to be just as much a jerk as his “mentor”, and Orr as Kate, who dates Tom and acts as best bud to Bethany. Additional supporting turns come from Joseph Gigantiello as kind-hearted local tailor Mr. Goldstein, one of the few people who genuinely supports Andy’s ultimate goals when it comes to Bethany, Scott David Nogi as Principal Holden who almost ruins Andy’s plans for prom, Paul Buchwald as Bethany’s rather unassuming father, Bernadette Torre as Andy’s Mexican/Latino soaps-obsessed mother, and Michael R. Humphries as a very confused limo driver.
In total, with a highly wacky and amusingly playful comedic tone and wonderfully rendered high school caricatures on display combined with its effectively nonsensical narrative, “Armageddon For Andy” is a pleasant bit of mindless fun that, for this reviewer anyway, heralds back to the style of comedy sorely missing these days–stupid, offbeat, and loony, yes, but so excellently, entertainingly, so. After all, who wants to have to think when it’s the end of the world, right?
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
