Institute History

  • 1997 Sundance Film Festival

Description

The debut feature from the twenty-something comedy troupe Broken Lizard is a playful romantic comedy set on a college campus that offers a fresh take on the familiar. Low budget, with a cast of newcomers, Puddle Cruiser triumphantly combines lowbrow humor with careful insight into the current state of campus dating rituals.

The film revolves around the charming Felix Bean and his motley group of friends. When Felix spots Suzanne at a party, he decides to pursue her. A romance of sorts ensues, though Suzanne remains involved with her old boyfriend as well. Felix tries to play it cool, often distracted by his friends, Grogan and Matt, the dynamic duo of mischief whose antics have landed them in hot water with campus security, and Zach (played by director Jay Chandrasekhar), who offers dating advice between sessions of trying to guess the last digit of a phone number from a lustful crush. Perhaps the success of the comic sequences can be attributed to the film’s collaboration in writing and acting. A hopping sound track accentuates the film’s college feel.

— Lisa Viola

Screening Details

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