Alpha Males Experiment – “well written and superbly acted…”

Review by Pulp Movies

Ethan (Ross McCall) is a bit of a wimp. He’s an aspiring director with no work and not enough confidence to make any headway in his chosen field. In fact, the only thing he really has going for him is his girlfriend, Heather (Jennifer Alden) and when she walks out on him it’s not much of a surprise that he begins to go to pieces.

Fortunately – or not – his brother, Kyle (Paul J. Alessi) is on hand to help him pull himself together. However, while Ethan wants nothing more to re-establish his relationship with Heather, Kyle’s view of Ethan’s best interest is very different. Kyle’s attitude to … READ MORE

Knuckle Draggers is a refreshing take on the battle of the sexes

“How do you talk to women?” I would ask my friend. “With words,” he’d reply. I thought he was being an ass, but as it turns out, he was right. And that’s the funny thing about interpersonal relationships with the opposite sex. It’s the way we use words that may spell disaster for a relationship. In Knuckle Draggers, the dramedy from Alex Ranarivelo, we learn that ye olde story of love, life, sex and… READ MORE on… Reel Loop and Examiner

Film was a breath of fresh air….

Finally, an adult romantic comedy which examines the state of modern male/female relationships, through the male perspective. In Alex Ranarivelo’s film, Knuckle Draggers starring Ross McCall, Paul J. Alessi, Cuba Gooding Jr., Danielle Nicolet, Jennifer Alden and Amie Barksy, we see what couples actually want versus what they need, and how their needs may not have evolved much from those of our caveman ancestors.

This indie film was a breath of fresh air, especially watching each characters “evolve” throughout the movie. It works outside of mainstream but still has the… READ MORE

I recently dived into a fantastic film called Knuckle Draggers, a delightful romantic comedy

Clifford Kiyabu – aka TCW My Thoughts: What makes a man a man? Is it measured in his self confidence, his successes or his toughness and arrogance, or is a man’s true worth of being attractive to the opposite sex measured in his inner sensitivity? whatever the answer may be the one that most men look to is: what do women really want in a man? The answer isn’t as simple as men would hope, nor is it any easier the other way around for their female counterpart which is what really divide men and women into being opposites, men want apples and women want oranges simple as that, right? WRONG! nothing is ever that simple when swimming through these waters, but as the saying goes, ‘opposites attract!’ … READ MORE

A film that is very mainstream and mature in its sensibilities

Greg Wright’s (Past The Popcorn) Knuckle Draggers Movie Review

The spirit of Barry Levinson is apparently alive and well… and living in L.A.

A cadre filmmakers led by east coast expatriates has been working together on low-budget projects for a number of years and has now turned out a romantic comedy as engaging (and still relatively wholesome and endearing!) as anything I’ve seen since, frankly, Diner. The ensemble cast is led by producers Paul J. Alessi (raised in Queens) and Amie Barksy (New Jersey); crewmembers Reuben Steinberg (cinematography) and writer/director Alex Ranarivelo are veterans of several Alessi/Barksy-produced films; and also along for more than their first ride with the producers are supporting players Brandon Olive, Karrie MacLaine, James D. Owens… and others, I’m sure.

To date, Alessi and Barsky’s oeuvre has been shorts; but clearly, they’ve not only been learning the ropes as they’ve worked their way up to their first feature-length production, they’ve also been having fun and building up a solid core of professionals with whom to work consistently. That investment has paid off, and the newcomers to the crew blend in seamlessly. I wouldn’t mind working with these folks, either, if I were in the biz—and I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing a lot more of these characters.

I also expect I’ll be watching Knuckle Draggers a few more times over the years. Hopefully, you’ll be able to as well!

At the … READ MORE