I’m not in the target demographic for “Boppin’ at the Glue Factory.” It’s an obtuse comedy in the vein of “Tim and Eric,” the humor arising from the stunted and awkward behavior. I’m able to enjoy “Tim and Eric” thanks to the outrageous lunacy on display, though that admittedly has its limits. Even a film such as “The Greasy Strangler,” the bizarre anti-comedy that lampooned slasher and indie films, won me over due to its stoic outlandishness.
“Boppin’ at the Glue Factory” has no such lunacy. It’s a subdued comedy that skates by without a care in the world, just like its main character, Eric Labudde (Henry Dittman). He is a mischievous nurse with an affinity for Dilaudid, an addictive painkiller served up to the elderly in nursing homes. It just so happens his latest scheme is acting as the resident night shift nurse for a rundown nursing home. It’s there that he sneaks hits of the drug throughout the night amidst his power naps and sex chat room escapades. And that’s basically the entire film.
The film is a streamline of random happenings stitched together via the flimsiest of a narrative. Jeff Orgill’s direction is akin to a day in the life comedy ala “Clerks,” but over an extended period of time. There’s not much of a story, but a thread in which to hang events from. If those events are kitschy and/or fascinating, then there’s not much of an issue. When they’re flat meanderings, such is the case here, it poses a problem. Not only is there not much of a story to latch onto, but there’s no extravagant occurrences to pique one’s interest.
The film is an exercise in tedium, admittedly the point. The direction is meant to complement Eric’s demeanor, aloof and carefree, at least I suppose that’s the point. If it is, then I must commend Orgill on accomplishing just that. Despite my difficulties with the approach, I’ll attest to the film’s brisk pacing. It flows smoothly from one scenario to another, a sense of ease enveloping the proceedings. While I was never fully engaged by the scenarios, I was strangely relaxed by them. No one scenario overstays its welcome; the eccentricities of the patients being downplayed. One is an attention seeker stalking each nurse’s every move, complaining about trivial matters such as the confiscation of a deceased patient’s television. Another cracks the corniest jokes you’ll ever hear (“What do you say to a talking muffin to get it to shut up? Shut up, muffin!”).
One patient in particular is on to Eric’s scheme from the outset, striking up an agreement. The patient, Tharin Sanders (Conrad Roberts), can play his jazz music whenever as loud as he wants, keep a confrontational nurse at bay, and impose a third undisclosed condition when he sees fit. In return, he’ll supply Eric with his precious Dilaudid and the two will be happy. This agreement helps the story coast for a bit, with Tharin blackmailing Eric on numerous occasions to temporarily escape or spend time with an affectionate patient. Even then, these scenarios are mediocre at best, their greatest addition being the synthy jazz soundtrack.
I’m struggling to write this review as I don’t have much to sink my teeth into. Many situations present themselves, but the script (credited to Brian S. O’Malley, Hector Maldonado, & Orgill) barely utilizes them. The nurse who rules with an iron fist, Vladimir of Ukraine (Charles Santore), is reduced to slipping in piss repeatedly instead of clashing with Eric, a missed opportunity to blend their styles together. Javier (Ski Carr) is the aforementioned confrontational nurse, a spirited performance muffled by more one-note running gags (though his, involving a relaxation technique, does elicit a few chuckles). Then there’s Shirlee (Jossie Thacker), the kindhearted manager of the nursing home who takes an immediate shining to Eric. There’s opportunity here to mine material from her naïve adulation, but it’s never explored. She pops up on occasion to stroke Eric’s ego and narrowly avoid catastrophe on both of their behalf.
I didn’t even mention that Eric is the one responsible for a merely hinted at altercation at the county hospital. It’s spoken about in hushed murmurs, but never outright stated what he did to cause such a fuss. We just know he’s in hiding at the nursing home, pretending to be someone he’s not. Again, good material could be extracted from this, but such is not the case. I honestly forgot about it throughout the film, so I was thankful for the occasional reminder.
At least Henry Dittman’s performance is engaging, enough to carry the film from becoming a dud. His airy persona is hard to resist, the perfect fit for Eric. Despite his selfish gains, his charming disposition is enough to keep him in one’s good graces, explaining why Shirlee and others are easily duped by him. There is humor to be had from him breezing through his existence despite his lack of skill; just not enough to uphold the film.
The best thing about “Boppin’ at the Glue Factory” is its outlandish title! It’s an unexplained phenomena, which goes a long way in describing this film as a whole. If you’re adventurous enough to give this a whirl, be my guest. Maybe you’ll get more out of it than I did.
Final Rating: C-
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