Written by Ronnie Gorham
The last movie you would ever think would have you contemplating your life decisions would be a film called Drunk Bus. The film stars Charlie Tahan as Michael, a Kent University campus bus driver who’s stuck in a repetitive loop of depression and regret. Most of his trauma stems from a recent breakup with his ex-girlfriend Amy (Sarah Mezzanotte), who has moved to New York City—a dream they were once supposed to share until she dumped him. Now, Michael’s daily routine consists of driving the campus bus around the same route every night, being bullied by frat boys and insulted by a handicapped old man named f*ck you Bob (Martin Pfefferkorn). That is until he meets a tattoo-faced Samoan-American security guard named Pineapple–actually played by a guy named Pineapple Tangaroa–who helps shake up his world for the better.
The film’s opening sells the plot incredibly well. We witness a typical crappy day in Michael’s life at work. He drives from college bus stops past a restaurant called Roast Beefy’s with a misspelled menu marquee, to a frat house where they throw things at his front windshield and repeats the same cycle all night. To make matters worse, he’s not even a full-time employee and he gets zero benefits. It all makes you feel for the guy. But it also makes you realize that he’s the one holding himself back to do something more.
There’s a beautiful montage segment where people are getting on and off the bus in fast motion while the camera pans over to Michael, who is sitting still. It is here that directors Brandon Laganke and John Carlucci are not only painting a picture about Michael, but serving up a pivotal moment that most of us can relate to in our own lives. The scene begs the question, are we doing enough in our lives or are we stuck in the same mundane routine? That’s where Pineapple enters the picture as Michael’s assigned security after a frat boy punches him in the face.
The chemistry between Tahan and Tangaroa is a match made in heaven right from the start. Tahan brings a dorky, Scott Pilgrim-esque indecisiveness to his character while Tangaroa embraces a straightforward, “call it as you see it” tone. Chris Molinaro’s writing constantly uses Pineapple to throw situation after situation at Michael to get him out of his comfort zone and drives the story forward in an impressive way. As Drunk Bus progresses, you feel like these characters are not only relatable, but help each other see the flaws in their lives.
At its core, Drunk Bus is about a guy who just wants to get back together with his ex. But underneath the surface, it’s about settling. It’s about not having a plan B if your plan A in life fails or leaves you to move to the city. It’s about the hardship of trying to move forward when all you feel like doing is giving up. The first half of the film scores with showing Michael’s struggle, while the climax does an even more impressive job of seeing how he ultimately handles it.
Drunk Bus will make you laugh, make you sad, and make you clap by the end credits. You’ll think, “Am I stuck in my own time loop?” It’s a great movie filled with a lot of heart and lesson-learned moments. The script ties up every aspect of what’s going on and you’ll want to stay, as there is an additional scene after the credits. This is one bus you’ll want to take.
