“Happy birthday, baby.
Come on, let’s start over.”

Movie is very patient. That is a generous way to describe it, but I see no reason to be mean to the movie. The movie means no harm. Is it mumblecore? Is that word meaningful anymore? It’s certainly better than Mutual Appreciation, but it’s one of those movies about underachieving twentysomethings with no plans.

Rodolfo Cano (Gerardo Naranjo, above, director of I’m Gonna Explode), lives in a boat where he dodges his ex-girlfriend every day, gets a letter from the government welcoming him to the army, but he doesn’t remember joining the army. Shows up at the recruitment meeting and finds another Rodolfo Cano (Azazel “son of Ken” Jacobs, below).

So Gerardo follows Azazel home, meets Az’s girlfriend (Sara Diaz, below doing some old-timey dancing in the kitchen in the movie’s most famous scene, if indeed it has any famous scenes) and hangs out with her for a while. She visits his boat. Az starts fights in bars. A Gang of Four song plays. Suddenly there’s another character, but I didn’t notice when he appeared. Finally, Army day comes, Az is passed out (and still never told his girlfriend he joined), Gerardo jumps on the bus in his place. The story isn’t too convincing but the overall tone of the movie is much happier than it sounds from any plot description, a comedy without ever straining to feel comedic. I’m hearing Jacobs’ latest feature Momma’s Man is even better – must watch sometime.