Knuckle Draggers Review by Hey U Guys…

Setting up stall in the crowded rom-com market is a difficult task.

The problem facing writer/director Alex Ranarivelo is how to make your commentary on relationships speak to the audience; to make your voice heard above the myriad other groups of pretty, commitment phobic thirty-somethings trying to work their lives out.

Ranarivelo’s answer is simple: character. And this is how he, and the film, succeeds.

Knuckle Draggers is a 2009 film from Partners in Crime Films and it is an excellent way to spend an evening. Do not give in to your preconceptions of Indie Romance(TM) and let this charming film work its spell. It is surprising because it succeeds in building up the prejudices and stereotypes inherent in the genre before pulling the rug from under our feet. Don’t get me wrong – the … READ MORE

Smells Like Screen Spirit – Knuckle Draggers Review

Knuckle Draggers follows the story of a down on his luck emerging director named Ethan (Ross McCall). Even though Ethan’s a great guy, his fiancée Heather (Jennifer Alden) leaves him because he is unable to provide her a swanky lifestyle similar to those of her friends. Set on winning Heather back, Ethan reaches out to his sexist older brother Kyle (Paul J. Alessi), a macho New Yorker who has his own unique philosophy on the dynamic of men and women. Disgusted by Kyle’s chauvinist view on women, Ethan’s female friends Patricia (Amie Barsky) and Renee (Danielle Nicolet) chime in to provide advice from the other side. As the story progresses Ethan is not the only one who is faced with questioning their relationships, and what it is they need from them.

Though the stars of the film are not household names, there are many familiar faces – Ross McCall was in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers and the Starz TV series Crash. Paul J. Alessi who is also the producer of the film was in Ten til Noon and the TV series Desire. Omar Gooding (Cuba Gooding Jr.’s little brother) was in… READ MORE

Film Crave – Knuckle Draggers: Even I Can Relate

3/4 stars

I’m usually not the person to go to for romantic comedies as I haven’t found many I like. However, the reason this ranks higher than most is it takes a common theme yet makes it completely relatable to even someone as rom/com adverse as I am.

Despite the L.A. setting, the characters are all believable. The main problem I have with most of these films is that I can never imagine myself in that kind of situation – Knuckle Draggers, however, seems like something that could be happening right now, if not to me, then to someone I could imagine. I mean, the guys do… READ MORE