Humpday…

Humpday Review

14 Dec 2009

Critics rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Reviewed by Tom Charity , LOVEFiLM

I Love You, Man is all very well, but the bromantic comedy gets serious in this mischievous indie comedy from writer-director Lynn Shelton.

Taking off where Kevin Smith left off in Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Shelton gives us a happily married couple, Ben (fellow indie filmmaker Mark Duplass) and Anna (Alycia Delmore), then adds Ben’s best friend Andrew (Joshua Leonard) to the mix.

Ben is kind of square, but in a nice way. He and Anna live in Seattle, they’re settling nicely and trying for a baby. Andrew, on the other hand, is a bearded bohemian whose been living in Mexico, an artist who shows up out of the blue at 1.30 in the morning and asks if he can stay for a while.

Humpday

Starring Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore, Lynn Shelton

Director Lynn Shelton

Genres Comedy, Gay/Lesbian

Run time 93 mins Certificate 15

Cast details

Joshua Leonard

Top rated films	View all
Live From Baghdad (2002)
The Blair Witch Project - Blu-ray (1999)
Beautiful Losers (2009)

Anna has never met him before, but they make him comfortable and the next day she tells her husband she wants to make the three of them her famous pork chops for dinner. Only when Ben manages to get hold of Andrew he’s already cooking for Monica (played by Shelton), a bisexual woman he just met in a coffee shop…

Long story short, Ben drops in on Monica and Ben, emerges high and drunk and several hours late for his chops, and with a vague recollection that he and Andrew agreed to collaborate on a film for the annual Seattle Hump Festival – a competition for DIY pornography and erotica.

Their wheeze: that the only porn that hasn’t been done is two straight guys making out together.

Somehow this sounded more brilliant the night before, but neither man wants to back down. Ben hates it that Andrew thinks he’s boring Mr Conventional. Andrew has his own arty self-image to live up to. But will they really go through with it and who is going to break it to Anna?

I think most (straight) men will tell you they don’t believe there would be much juice in this premise – that is, there is no way two straight guys would go through with it, or even consider such a thing.

Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard

Maybe that’s why the movie had to be made by a woman. Shelton cleverly grounds the conceit in the complicated relationship between the two men, in which each contrasts and complements the other. They’re not physically attracted, but in some way each needs the other’s good opinion to feel better about himself. It’s as if their own machismo is forcing them on. (In fact I think the movie could have used even more of this. Andrew’s character remains rather vaguely defined, hidden behind Leonard’s considerable facial hair.)

Largely improvised, the movie hits comic stride as Ben tries and fails to explain to Anna what he’s got himself into Sunday night… Mark Duplass, who codirected the excellent low budget movies The Puffy Chair and Baghead with his brother Jay, turns out to be a deft comic actor in his own right.

It’s not much to look at, and about as far from erotic as it could get, but Humpday is an acerbic comedy about how screwed up even the best male friendships are.

Incidentally, there really is a Hump fest in Seattle, but relax, it’s strictly for local consumption.

Humpday Reviews

Critic's review of Humpday
View all (1)
- Thereâs a revolutionary conceit behind âHumpdayâ, and itâs not the tawdry question of what would happen if two... read more on Time Out
- 54906
- - Tom Huddleston
  - Time Out
  - 08 Jul 2009 at 05:17
Most helpful member's review of Humpday
View all members' reviews (30)
- - 46
  - 10
  Boring
  
  Complete and utter rubbish that is simply boring, rent it and regret it.
  
  Report this review
- 837321
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Rugelian
  - 66 reviews
  - Rugeley
  - 05 Dec 2009 at 13:14
Most recent members' reviews of Humpday
View all members' reviews (30)
- - 0
  - 0
  Don't expect the obvious...
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed this colourful, sometimes neurotic, quite believable, almost documentary like, small independent film... great plot, great acting, touching... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1062798
- - philon
  - 3 reviews
  - Thornton Heath
  - 15 Nov 2011 at 01:16
- - 0
  - 1
  A bag of doritos is funnier
  
  Either all the judges that awarded this film plaudits were a) on drugs or b) so deperate to praise anything remotely GAY ............1) it wasn't funny 2) ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1047898
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - ash53
  - 45 reviews
  - newbury
  - 05 Oct 2011 at 09:10
- - 0
  - 0
  A bit limp
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  Shame they didn't get around to actually 'doing the deed'.
  
  The acting was basic, the female character wasn't believable and the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1012313
- - a customer
  - 02 Jul 2011 at 23:08
View all members' reviews (30)

- - 46
  - 10
  Boring
  
  Complete and utter rubbish that is simply boring, rent it and regret it.
  
  Report this review
- 837321
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Rugelian
  - 66 reviews
  - Rugeley
  - 05 Dec 2009 at 13:14
- - 12
  - 1
  Realistic, improvised feeling 'bromance' taken to the next 'logical' step
  
  This is a hilarious, surprisingly touching and wonderfully acted mumblecore film. Joshua Leonard (who I haven't heard much of since Blair Witch) and Mark ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 837550
- - danieljparsons
  - 113 reviews
  - Ashford
  - 06 Dec 2009 at 11:47
- - 5
  - 0
  Almost there
  
  This was an intellegent film about two friends who are trying to push their individual boundaries by filming a gay porno with two str8 guys. It is well shot and... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 883468
- - Randomfilmbuff
  - 327 reviews
  - London
  - 14 Apr 2010 at 22:41
- - 5
  - 0
  an ultra real revelation
  
  Never before have the nuances of relationships - friendship but also (and perhaps more interestingly, owing to the lack of decent depictions around) marriage - ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 883572
- - a customer
  - manchester
  - 15 Apr 2010 at 09:38
- - 5
  - 0
  1 Hour & A Half Lost Forever
  
  This film is not worth watching im my opinion. We were bored all the way through. We only watched to the end because we thought its got to get better soon, but ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 904915
- - OptixAz
  - 168 reviews
  - Oxford
  - 12 Jul 2010 at 12:24
- - 4
  - 0
  Outlandish concept, nonstop drivel
  
  The problem here is that the concept is too outlandish (two straight blokes on a whim decide to have sex with one another...on video...to be shown before an ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 883479
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - redbeardtravels
  - 19 reviews
  - Manchester, England
  - 14 Apr 2010 at 22:54
- - 3
  - 0
  give it time
  
  When the characters finally stop for breath and start talking to each other, then it becomes interesting. Stick with it and enjoy the dilemmas and questions ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 884556
- - WG
  - 21 reviews
  - London
  - 18 Apr 2010 at 20:28
- - 3
  - 0
  Rubbish!
  
  Not only is this film not in the slightest bit funny, it offers no entertainment either.
  
  Report this review
- 902195
- - a customer
  - Alton, Hampshire
  - 30 Jun 2010 at 07:25
- - 3
  - 0
  Original, Provocative Film
  
  This film is bold, subtly funny and thought-provoking. It explores friendship, marriage and sexuality in an original and compelling way. It starts off rather ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1005797
- - a customer
  - 16 Jun 2011 at 23:23
- - 2
  - 0
  a study in pretentiousness and self-abuse
  
  if you like these themes, together with the shakiest plot-line in history, you'll love this film! Apart from the great acting and improvisation, I didn'... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 903114
- - a customer
  - edinburgh
  - 04 Jul 2010 at 11:48

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Critic's review
- Thereâs a revolutionary conceit behind âHumpdayâ, and itâs not the tawdry question of what would happen if two... read more on Time Out
- 54906
- - Tom Huddleston
  - Time Out
  - 08 Jul 2009 at 05:17

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