Gentlemen Broncos Movie Review

Right from the opening credits, Gentlemen Broncos had me hooked. They're quite simple, similar to the Napoleon Dynamite credits, which is fitting seeing how this is the latest film from  director Jared Hess. Instead of foodstuffs, we are treated to the cast and crew names of old pulp sci-fi book covers, while "In The Year 2525" plays on. It's the perfect set-up for yet another of Hess' tale of outcasts and their deadpan, almost absurdist comedic misadventures.

Broncos tells the story of Benjamin (Michael Angarano, playing the wallflower to perfection) a home-schooled lad who writes science fiction stories, following in the path of his idol, Dr.Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement, from Flight of the Conchords, and who steals every scene he's in with his facial hair and voice). Benjamin joins other home schoolers on a trip to Cletus Fest, a writing retreat/workshop/festival. Lecturing at the fest is Dr. Chevalier, who dramatically reads from his classic Cyborg Harpies trilogy, which must be heard to be believed.

There is a contest held, where the winner will be published. Benjamin submits his story, titled Yeast Wars: The Bronco Years, in the hopes of following in his idol's path and starting young. Chevalier is one of the judges, who derides most of the stories he reads because of the poor use of fantasy names. (They should all end with "Anous" or a variation. Desperation leads Chevalier to steal the story and publishes it as his own, to wild success, unbeknownst to young Benjamin.

Also at the festival, Benjamin meets Tabitha and Lonnie. Tabitha is a master manipulator right from the beginning, but Benjamin is blind to this, most likely because it is the first contact he has ever made with a woman that wasn't his mother. Tabitha reads Benjamin's story and with Lonnie, they decide to make a movie based on the story. Lonnie is a character of sheer nuttiness, a terrible "filmmaker" who likes to coo in Tabitha's ear while she receives a hand massage. The results of their film are a sight to behold.

I haven't even gotten to Benjamin's home life, where his mother (Jennifer Coolidge) designs horrible clothing when she's not selling popcorn balls, and has enlisted a "Guardian Angel" (Mike White, in an amazing wig and sporting an albino python) to help Benjamin make friends. There's also the enactments of the Bronco story, starring Sam Rockwell as the hero, as he fights off cyclops while riding rocket stags. The lunacy on display is abundant, but never twee, and always entertaining.

It's fair to say that Jared Hess embraces the outcast. Benjamin and Napoleon and Nacho Libre all march to their own drummer while constantly being harassed and bullied by those around them. (Even though the results are hilarious). Benjamin is on par with the lead of A Serious Man for the amount of shit dumped onto him. And Ben has hormones to contend with on top of all this nonsense! Still, he remains true to himself, the writer and the decent human being, which is more than the other characters leave with.

The actors do very well at conveying absolutely no expression at all, which would be off putting in anyone else's hands, but is clearly becoming a Hess trademark. Deadpan acceptance of the ridiculous circumstances can be tricky in less capable hands. Clement absolutely nails every scene he is in. Angarano is also quite good, and nowhere near reminding me of Shia LeBouf. And Sam Rockwell gets to have the most fun as Bronco, the space hero with one testicle who changes appearance depending on whose story it is, Benjamin's or Chevalier's. I could watch an entire movie of Bronco's adventures, even if they obviously come from the mind of a 16 year old boy. (Though Chevalier's take is equally brilliant, comedically speaking). 

Gentlemen Broncos is a personal tale, that's full of characters I wound up loving because the filmmakers also love them. (The relationship between Benjamin and his mother could have been played far more arch, but instead is a genuine testament of mother-son relationships). It's easy to dismiss the film as stupid characters acting with mouths agape, but that's missing the joy and wonder this movie presents. Many will argue (and I will eventually concede) that this might not be the best film of the year. But it's certainly my favorite movie of the year.

Click Here to Contribute your Own Review.