ROUTE 30
Directed By John Putch
Review By Shane Morton
This is the third film that John Putch has showed at the Valley Film Festival. The first two being Bachelorman and Mojave Phone Booth. John Putch has assembled his regular cast of actors and brings the laughs in this fun and frolicking film.
The film is compromised of three interconnecting stories about the people who live in a small rural town in central Pennsylvania. It feels like a triptych of short stories made into a feature. And there is very little about the film that doesn’t work. Wonderful performances and a strong script keeps the film from falling flat anywhere.
The first tale is called ‘Deer Hunters’ Wives. Mandy (played magically by Nathalie Boltt), is obsessed about the history of Jenny Wade, the only civilian killed in the battle of Gettysburg. Mandy is a tour guide for civil war enthusiasts and finds her own life wanting some kind of excitement. Her friend June (The always fantastic Christine Elise McCarthy), is trying to find ways to make the internet into a money making machine for her. Her goal is to start a porn site which features her and her husband role playing. She seems to be missing something in her life too. The girls husbands Arden and Ned (Kevin Rahm and Curtis Armstrong) keep disappearing to “shoot” deer.
The second section is called “What I Believe”, and it features Arden and his other friends in town when he believes he has been chased by Bigfoot. When Arden hurts his back he is talked into going to see a Christian Scientist, because he cannot afford a Dr. An unlikely friendship is formed and Arden and his friends (Robert Romanus, David Cowgil and Lee Wilkof, all in top form) realize what truly is lurking in the woods. They also find a way to make it “pay”. The only part of the film that felt weird to me was the end of this section, revolving around a legend called “The White Lady”, felt a little forced.
The third and sweetest section is called “Original Bill”. It revolves around Bill (a wonderful David DeLuise) a LA type who moves to Pennsylvania to begin anew life as a writer. He buys a house near an Amish home and keeps getting visited by Martha (an amazing Dana Delany showing her comic chops) who desires to unfold her wings and smoke, drink, cuss, watch TV and desires to see a play in a theatre. Their friendship creates changes in the entire town and helps some of the other characters to achieve their own dreams too. In the end what life will Martha choose?
John Putch, in the Q and A talked about shooting on a low budget, but this film does not lack from it at all. It is such a fun film and if you get a chance…. Make sure to see it!