DVD Review: ‘Humpday’ Takes Heterosexual Comedy to a New Level

CHICAGO – While Apatowian bromances like “I Love You, Man” play male bonding for laughs, Lynn Shelton’s perceptive indie comedy delves into the untapped complexities of brotherly love. After garnering the Special Jury Prize at Sundance, “Humpday” had a very limited theatrical run, and deserves to find an audience on DVD. It is one of the best micro-budget indies to fall under the media-created genre definition of “mumblecore.” These films examine the sex lives and relationships of ordinary twenty- and thirty-somethings with a level of candid intimacy rarely achieved in mainstream filmmaking.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Shelton is one of the few “mumblecore” filmmakers who attempts to bridge her improvisational scenes with a strong narrative arc (the Duplass Brothers made a similar successful effort in “The Puffy Chair”). In “Humpday,” Mark Duplass (currently on FX’s “The League”) stars as Ben, a young man on the verge of starting a family with his wife Anna (Alycia Delmore). Their perfectly content relationship is interrupted when Ben’s longtime buddy Andrew (Joshua Leonard) unexpectedly shows up on their doorstop one night. The two friends quickly descend into their old pattern of heterosexual one-upmanship, and on one particularly inebriated evening, they agree to a dare from Andrew’s new bohemian friends. Suddenly, Ben finds himself preparing to make a sex film for the local amateur porn festival, which would require him to have intercourse with Andrew.

Humpday was released on DVD on November 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

This premise will undoubtedly scare away most homophobic viewers, but those willing to sit through it will discover one of the most insightful and poignant dissections of (yes) heterosexual friendship in recent memory. The plot goes in several surprising and unexpected directions, none of which are the least bit exploitative or solipsistic. Both Duplass and Leonard have proven to be skilled improvisors in the past, and their scenes together are a joy to watch. Some of Duplass’s best moments occur in reaction shots, as his face exudes adolescent delight in the presence of his friend. A particularly hilarious highlight of the film occurs when Duplass attempts (and fails) to explain his filmmaking plans to his wife.

Humpday was released on DVD on November 17th, 2009. Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

Leonard has a knack for tackling vital questions about inexplicable character motivation in his improvisations. He came up with the key line in “The Blair Witch Project,” which underlined how the camera provided the frightened characters with a “filtered reality” that could be used as a defense mechanism against their overpowering fear. That single statement justified the entire filmmaking conceit of the project, which required the characters to keep filming at all times. Here, Leonard comes up with an equally convincing reason for why his character would be so determined to go through with this porn film, despite the fact that he’s clearly straight.

When Anna finally figures out what Ben and Andrew are up to, her reaction is far more grounded and thoughtful than one would expect. Delmore has a great moment where she admits to Ben that there are just as many sides to her that have remained dormant in order to preserve their marriage. Such moments are guaranteed to provoke revealing post-movie discussions between the couples who see the film. Shelton allows her camera to linger on her inherently uncomfortable subject matter until the awkwardness dissipates, and the rich human comedy comes shining through.

It’s so refreshing to see an American film that offers a sophisticated and thoughtful perspective on sexuality. The majority of our mainstream entertainment still has yet to grow beyond the maturity level of a particularly callow high schooler. If you’re fed up with the slapstick farce offered by a picture like, “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,” give “Humpday” a shot. It’s one of the smartest comedies of the year.

“Humpday” is presented in its 1.78:1 aspect ratio, and includes two terrific commentaries. Duplass and Leonard offer delightfully self-deprecating banter that details their approach to improvisation, while Shelton, Delmore and various crew members discuss how they went about shooting the film in just ten days. There’s also a brief featurette and numerous deleted scenes (including seven minutes of unused endings).

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com