I’m not a huge fan of drama flicks, especially not indie drama flicks… unless they strike some sort of chord with me that is. With The Waterhole, that chord was drinking. This familiar tale of mid-twentysomething apathy is a realistic portrayal of life for a handful of lost souls whose only comfort is their local bar. It’s a solid dramatic piece filled with great moments of hilarious levity blended with a real world malaise that keeps the film moving to its somewhat uplifting conclusion.

The film tells the tale of a group of friends who are all in various stages of their lives. Our protagonist, Miller, is a man suffering from a depressing case of personality moratorium. His life lacks direction, and the fact that his girlfriend has cheated on him doesn’t help matters any. His buddy Jim is at the opposite end of the spectrum, with a budding marriage on the horizon and a seemingly solid job. Murphy, their friendly neighborhood bartender and alcoholic enabler has just bought his own bar. Together, these three experience life through a precarious cocktail haze which threatens to overwhelm them, and as the annoyances in their lives sprout into full-grown problems, it takes the return of one of their troubled and fallen friends to point out exactly what is wrong with their lives. It sounds preachy, but the subtle writing of screenwriter/producer Nathan Cole prevents the film from ever turning into a bore full of preachy moments. The characters aren’t necessary likeable, but that’s part of the point.

Director Ely Mennin does a nice job of crafting a solid dramatic piece with very little in the way of resources. This indie pieces adheres to the tenets of low-budget filmmaking, making use of relatively unknown actors, a handful of locations, and some solid directing to tell the tale. Mennin’s film suffers from the occasional lighting blip, but he takes his set-ups seriously and nothing ever becomes stale visually, which is hard to do when limited to a handful of sets. Mennin’s handling of a few surprise scenes in the film is also exceptional, and the storytelling and pacing impress throughout. The visual look of the film could use an upgrade, but for a dramatic tale, it’s good enough to not be a distraction.

The cast of the film has some bright spots and some so-so spots, but everyone here pulls their weight to keep from dragging the film down, which is good, because without serviceable actors this tale wouldn’t have a chance of accomplishing its goals. Patrick J. Adams (Rage, Weather Girl) is a solid lead, but there are some blips in his quality. Luckily, these blips are few and far between. Jade Carter (Breach, Man of the Year) and Matt Stasi, who play Jim and Murphy respectively, aren’t half bad. Stasi has a nice sleazy quality to him, which creates some nice opportunities for humor. Carter is easily the most relatable actor in the cast, and he carries some presence in the film. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in more stuff down the road.

But the true star of the film is Joey Klein, who I had previously seen and remarked upon in another indie film called Cry. Proving that his performance in that film was no fluke, Klein shows up in this film to play a small supporting role that is easily the meat of the movie. Klein’s performance as Cracker, a recovering alcoholic with a dark side, is amazing. If you’re making an indie flick and you need a great actor, I would put Klein on the shortlist. Honestly, I don’t know how much longer this guy can remain a secret, because he’s seriously that good. The man has a unique look, an original presence, and his line delivery is performed in such a physical and organic manner that you can’t help but feel that this guy is the character he’s playing and not just an actor. If you’ve been reading my shit for a while, you know how often I spend a whole paragraph of space talking about one actor in a positive light… which is hardly ever. Even if the rest of the movie wasn’t solid, I would recommend the flick just so people would watch Klein.

The Waterhole is an excellent indie effort, and I definitely recommend it to indie fans. The storytelling is solid, there’s a great performance within, and the story feels real… but not in the whole depressing manner that Hollywood tries to foist on us. These characters are the people that you’ll find at your local watering hole, well-meaning individuals trying to understand life through the bottom of a glass.

Final Synopsis: As far as indie dramas go, this is one of the better ones I’ve seen. It’s worth checking out for Joey Klein’s performance, but the story isn’t bad by itself. Give it a rent when you get the chance. Or buy it to support good indie flicks.

Points Lost: -1 for a sometimes cheap look, -1 for occasional lighting issues, -1 for occasional blips in acting quality

Lesson Learned: Always remember the names of your conquests.

Burning Question: What’s the best way you ever broke up with a girl?

The Waterhole
7/10

Tags: ely mennin, jade carter, joey klein, latest indie movie reviews, latest movie reviews, matt stasi, nathan cole, new indepependent film reviews, patrick j. adams