Title: Meet Monica Velour
Directed by: Keith Bearden
Starring: Kim Cattrall, Dustin Ingram, Brian Dennehy, Sam McMurray and Keith David
Running time: 97 minutes, Rated R, Available on Blu-Ray
Tobe is a typical nerdy high school grad with an odd obsession with a 70’s porn star named Monica Velour. When he finds out she’s going to be headlining at an Indiana strip joint, he takes a road trip in his “weenie” truck for the once in a lifetime chance to meet his fantasy girl. Much to his surprise, she’s aged a bit since her porno career peak; however Tobe is determined to get to know the real Monica Velour and perhaps win her over.
For starters, I’m not going to be like the rest by comparing this independent film to Napoleon Dynamite. Yes, both protagonists happen to have afros and they’re both skinny geeks, however the connection ends there. There’s no dance sequence to Jamiroquai. Tobe’s got an eccentric taste in 30’s music and Russ Meyer movies on top of his Monica Velour fixation. He has grown up taking care of his alcoholic grandfather (Dennehy) and his only escape from his stagnant life is watching a girl whom he claims isn’t up to his standards though she is almost his soul-mate, from the window of his hot dog truck.
I liked this film. It had exceptional casting for something so low budget and the script was great. For the majority of the film, Kim Cattrall looked toe-up ragged, but her character Linda was genuine and likeable. Dustin Ingram was the epitome of geek, but strangely adorable as the love-struck Tobe. Tony Cox (Bad Santa) was great casting as the strip club owner. My favorite characters has to be Elizabeth Wright Shapiro (30 Minutes or Less) as the strip club-rat Snickers and Keith David’s kitsch-artist who wants to buy the weenie truck; they could’ve made another movie about just those two characters.
The bonus features on the DVD include deleted scenes and a commentary by writer/director Keith Bearden and star Kim Cattrall. They were both very proud of this film and rightfully so. Cattrall dissects her character and talks about what was going through her head during some of the heavy moments among the comedy.
Mind you the ending is a little predictable and cliché, however it wouldn’t be a comedy without the life lessons and mildly cheesy feel-good ending.
Total Rating: A
Reviewed by JM Willis
