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Indie artists Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel from the band Mates of State have been playing together since the late ‘90s. They got married a few years later, had a couple of kids, and took the family on the road. Some might think that raising kids in a tour bus would make for a pretty hectic lifestyle—but, somewhere in there, the duo also managed to film The Rumperbutts, a quirky indie film about a couple of indie artists in search of a second chance.
The Rumperbutts stars the musical couple as Jack and Bonnie, a pair of struggling indie rockers who traded the club scene for the preschool scene when they agreed to a high-paying gig on a kids’ TV show. Three years later, their show is a huge success, and they’re regularly playing in packed venues full of screaming kids—but they’re absolutely miserable. Their marriage is over, and they’re both creatively exhausted. Then, one night, they meet Richie (Josh Brener), a magical mystery man who offers to help them. And they soon find themselves on a strange journey that helps them remember what’s important.
Fans of Mates of State and their music will definitely appreciate this peculiar musical fantasy—because it’s loaded with musical numbers. At times, in fact, it feels like a string of music videos with flashbacks and hazy—almost dreamlike—scenes thrown in to bridge the gap between them.
Unfortunately, though, the story isn’t nearly as much fun as you might expect. While the characters certainly end up in some bizarre situations, it seems that the parts with the most comedic potential ended up on the cutting room floor. Instead of exploring the duo’s career as children’s artists, the film skips right to the depressing part—when the characters are disillusioned and bitter. They hate each other, they resent the show and their new fans, and they’re unhappy in their new relationships. And while their bitterness and resentment do provide some darkly comic moments, their situation is really just plain sad.
And then comes Richie. The magical, mysterious character is a rather wacky addition to an otherwise straightforward story about priorities and second chances. He pops up from time to time, intervening and offering advice like some kind of hipster fairy godfather. But while he’s definitely an endearingly eccentric character, he often feels like he belongs in a different, sillier movie. And when he reveals his purpose at the end of the film, it doesn’t make much sense—nor does the film’s message.
Though it seems to promise plenty of madcap adventures through indie rock and kids’ TV, The Rumperbutts is an aimless—and often even gloomy—story about selling out and starting over. It certainly has its high points—but unless you’re a big fan of the band, it’s far from a must-see release.
Ed. Note: The Rumperbutts is currently playing in select theaters, but it’s also available for viewing on demand through services like Amazon Instant Video.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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