by Jonah Meyers, Produced by Aida Ashenafi -- Liberty Theatre, Friday, May 2 Films about the absurdity of American suburban life are not new. From Penelope Spheeris's 1984 `Suburbia' to the more recent `Wayne's World', also directed by Spheeris, the anti-`Beaver' thing has been done time and time again.

Currently `The Simpsons' and `King of the Hill' feed our appetite for crazy animated suburbians. `Married With Children' has been running forever. And then there was that Brady Bunch movie.

The Bermuda International Film Festival showed a new take on the old theme last Friday. `Village Idiots', directed by Jonah Meyers, combined recognisable elements into something slightly different and enjoyable, although not entirely brilliant -- a sort of National Lampoon meets `Slacker', or even better, `Clerks'. The characters seemed like the kids from `Porky's' or one of those other bad early 80s teen comedies about truly sad adolescent males, after graduation. Or they are the kids that never made it into `Animal House' because they never went to college.

The film follows three chapters in a weekend of Kevin Callaway, described in the blurb as a misfit, but who turns out to be mentally ill. Rather than a punk with no desire to fit in with society, he is a shell-shocked young man, unable to enter society both because of his mental instability and the fact that he was convicted of blowing up his parents after tampering with the barbeque. Kevin's character is the most engaging in the film as he is a laughing stock and pathetic -- indeed, a true village idiot. He is also the vehicle for director Meyers to poke fun at a chorus of other characters.

Kevin lives, apparently, in a tree, and his possessions consist of a portable television, a row of socks, which he uses as puppet companions, possibly a peculiarly 90s reference, as a character in the animated superhero farce "The Tick'' talks to his sock puppet, as well as a reference to Lambchops. This sock has a smart mouth.

Kevin also owns a barbeque strapped to the front of his pink girl's bicycle, with a banana seat, which he hates for reasons which will remain a part of the script, and not this review.

The first chapter of the film sees Kevin interact with Mitch Cohen, an old schoolmate and the star of Kevin's favourite sitcom. Mitch is back in town with a pretentious Englishman who is shooting a documentary on the star.

Clive, the documentary director, is the most one-dimensional character in the film. He struggles to get to the "real'' Mitch, in the end only revealing his own true nature, that of a scandal-hungry tabloid journalist. While it was obvious Meyers was making fun of pretentious "intellectuals'', there is also a point to be made that fiction is sometimes the best medium for the truth, rather than a documentary. One wonders if he had considered shooting a documentary himself, before reconsidering. Animal House-esque characters abound in this first section of the film, with Mitch, the popular guy, his fat, funeral home-running friend and Foster, who may be Kevin's only friend.

Foster spouts environmentally sensitive and political platitudes and sells dope.

The next chapter introduces Timory, a teenager with a bad attitude. Timory is the ultimate rebel. She is rude to everyone, including her best friend who doesn't seem to mind. She thinks she's tough, but she's not. The chapter is a mild romp, quite literally.

`Village Idiots' is a new take on the old theme It leaves off where the third chapter picks up, at Kevin's old home which is up for sale. Not surprisingly the barbeque story is not helping the sale of the house, and is causing the neurotic real estate agent some trouble. There are three really interesting characters in this film and this agent is one of them. The other is the Indian he hires to guard the house. The Indian is thankfully not entirely stereotyped, although he is quite batty. He displays a warped sense of cultural identity and mysticism. The couple from Brookline who eventually buy the house, however, are stereotyped.

The film doesn't really have much of a plot, and for the most part pokes fun at stereotyped characters, much like the teenage party films mentioned earlier. Kevin stands out from this crowd of cliches, but none of them seem absurd. Perhaps at one time a movie such as this would have revealed the absurdity of life in the 'burbs, but it's no surprise now. If one takes absurd to mean "out of context'' then these characters were not absurd. If, however, one takes "absurd'' to mean "ridiculous or silly'' then yes, they were that.

The film seemed as though it hadn't matured; as though Meyers needs more time to pan that river for a real nugget of gold. That would make Meyers a director to watch in the future. The audience was asked to rate the movie, and I give it seven out of ten overall.

Unfortunately a video was used for the showing, and the colour was warped.

However the BIFF staff must be commended for their organisation -- it would seem the actual film did not arrive on the Island.

The short preceding the feature film was so brilliant it is a shame the audience didn't get to rate it too. `Anna in the Sky', by director Mark Edginton, was an exceptional piece of work. It too followed a young pathetic male, who is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend. Justin, a broody art-student type, makes fun of himself and his predicament. Very funny for an ex-art student.

CATHERINE DRAYCOTT `Village Idiots' is being shown at the Little Theatre tonight at 9.15 p.m.

FILM FESTIVAL MPC REVIEW REV