HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Thanks to the wonder that is my university alumni association, I saw an early screening of a South by Southwest Festival favorite, the feature film HUMBOLDT COUNTY. A fellow alum (Danny Jacobs, older) wrote, directed and quasi-starred in it, hence its visibility, and a group of friends and I, subject to the beck and call of free appetizers and a cool afternoon spent at CineSpace (sans the sketchy dance crowd that fades its glory by nightfall), went to watch.

It was okay. I wanted to like it more, but man, was it boring. I think the overall messages, however, were pretty good. I noticed two: "Lead the life less traveled," and "Legalise pot, or at least leave the growers the frick alone." It humanised the drug culture of the ever-shat-upon Humboldt County with the apparent attempt to make you embrace their choice of lifestyle and, perhaps, envy it. But unlike the main character in this quasi-stoner flick, I'm not pre-med and hating my life. I'm poor and hating my financial circumstances, but otherwise, I'm pretty happy about my life. That isn't why I didn't like it though. Let's go back to the "boring."

The film was purposely slow, I think in part due to an attempt at showcasing the acting chops of its star, newcomer Jeremy Strong. Problem is, his acting chops are not...yet...chopped. He's a newbie, and you feel it. In one scene he impressed me--and yeah, it's a scene where he cries; gosh, I'm so predictable!--but overall, he bored me. I did get the munchies watching this film, though. Mostly because the freebie hors d'oeuvres were served at the end, around 7pm, and I hadn't eaten since morning.

Props to Mr. Jacobs for completing a project I can, at this stage, only one day hope to achieve, however. I can't deny him that.

the plot: "Feeling trapped? Run to Humboldt."
the thought: "Only works for some people."
in five: 3/5, for a first film attempt

smoke it or don't: http://www.humboldtcountymovie.com/