SLIFF 2014 Review – GROWING UP AND OTHER LIES

GROWING UP AND OTHER LIES screens as part of the 23rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, November 22 at 5:30 PM at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre.

Get ticket information here.

Once again, a group of twnty-something best buds must face an uncertain future and enter adulthood in this comedy/drama from co-writers and directors Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs. Struggling artist Jake (Josh Larson) is going to throw in the towel (and his painting apron) on his NYC gallery dreams and move back to Ohio to help his ailing pop run the family factory. So what does he want to do on his last day in the Big Apple? Why he wants to walk all 260 blocks of Manhattan, from the farthest North point all the way to Lady Liberty. It’ll be a great, final bonding adventure for him and his three old room mates. Skipping a day from work is teacher “Rocks” (Adam Brody), whose girlfriend is about to go into labor any minute, the nervous, twitchy Billy (Jacobs) who fears that his business partners will learn of him “playin’ hookey”, and the snarky, laid-back Gunderson (Wyatt Cenac). Along the way Jake learns that a big name artist trashed his work at a coffee shop. He gets another surprise when he learns that his ex-girlfriend Tabatha (Amber Tamblyn) has just split from her current beau. Hmmm, maybe he should stay and try and patch things up. But life’s a lot more complicated than that. During the long day, they revisit their old apartment, crash a Dinner at Tabitha’s parents’ ritzy brownstone and a kiddie Central Park birthday pirate party, visit a big gallery opening, and wind up briefly in a Queens hospital. It’s kind of like THE WARRIORS with less chasing and violence, but more infidelity, teasing, and existential angst.

Grodsky and Jacobs give us a light-hearted “Fun City” travelogue that offers up some terrific location photography reminding one of several city roaming flicks like ON THE TOWN and AFTER HOURS. There’s a great, easy rapport from the actors with “Daily Show” vet Cinac imbuing every line with a “too cool for school” vide as he drifts through sequences with a Bill Murray-like effortless spirit. Jacobs is a great nerdy fall guy, usually the brunt of Cinac’s gibes. Plus there’s several strong comic supporting players like Scott Adsit as a confused clergyman and Josh Mostel as Tabitha’s gregarious dad. If you’re got a yen for rude, crude gags and some old-fashioned friendly male teasing, then take a 90 minutes NYC tour with this funny, and a bit freaky, foursome.