197. Drunk Bus; movie review

 

 

DRUNK BUS

Cert 15

101 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex, sex references, drug misuse

I thoroughly enjoyed being a student and we got up to some interesting antics but they always seem to pale against those of young Americans.

If movies are a correct reflection, they must go out every night and be permanently high on drink, drugs or wild sex.

Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule and Michael (Charlie Tahan) is one of them - an earnest graduate whose post-college plan is in ruins when his girlfriend leaves him for a job in New York.

Michael is moping after the aforementioned Amy and, without his own plan, literally finds himself driving the late-night campus loop bus. 

He does this to numb the pain of being dumped by the girl who he had seen as the love of his life but every night is a chaotic mix of boisterousness, aggression and people being sick or worse.

Consequently, the company hires a giant tattooed-face Samoan security guard called Pineapple (Pineapple Tangaroa).

The latter takes on the job of being Michael's rather unconventional therapist who tries to shock him back into enjoying life.

Unfortunately, pretty much all of his ideas end up with embarrassment or injury.

As said, Brandon LaGanke and John Carlucci's movie's shows some of the typical student excesses represented in American movies. It amazes me that, if this is anything to go by, any of them survive - literally.

Meanwhile, it also stirs up memories of the devastation of when the first serious relationship ends. 

The problem is that we have seen student craziness and young break-ups so many many times in movies that Drunk Bus largely washed over me.

Indeed, the only new elements are the night bus itself and the wacky Samoan.

Frankly, that wasn't enough.

Reasons to watch: If you are an older teenager

Reasons to avoid: If you don't get stoner comedies

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4.5/10

Did you know? According to GreatValueColleges.net , the University of San Francisco has the best college transportation system in America. To incentivise students, it gives them the Muni Pass which allows them to have unlimited access to all of the city’s “buses, subways, streetcars, and historic cable cars,” for free during semester time. 

The final word. Charlie Tahan: "Pineapple in the movie, who I guess was playing a version of himself, he and one of the directors Brandon LaGanke were at university together. And Brandon was the bus driver and Pineapple was his security guard. I think all of the stuff that happens is kind of a mix of stories from the writers and Brandon and Pineapple's stuff." Express.co.uk

Share this post