Indy Film Fest: Between Waves

“Between Waves” focuses on a middle-aged author having a midlife crisis. In order to combat turning 40, he sets out to find his first car, a journey that reunites him with his high school friends and girlfriend.

It could be a moving story, but unfortunately it chooses the path of bro-dude humor. Our writer protagonist returns home to find one of his best friends has grown breasts, which leads to a series of painful jokes. There’s the philosophical surfer who only speaks in recycled fragments of television dialogue. And the girlfriend, she’s the perfect combination of what a bro-dude would want, equal parts auto mechanic and sexy surfer.

The actual comedy in the film feels very dated and out of place, however—like a possible deleted scene from a 1990's Farrelly Brothers movie. The running gag about a man with breasts eventually leads to a transgender reference followed by what is meant to be physical comedy about police brutality. While these moments are light they are still likely to offend in this day and age. But sadly both jokes lack any bite. They feel lazily placed in the narrative with not even a thought to provoke.

To give directors Joe and Peter Herbert the benefit of the doubt, with a larger budget and a more talented cast maybe a few of the film’s jokes could have landed.

If there’s a bright side to the film, maybe it’s cinematographer Jim Timperman’s visuals. Early in the film there are some nice shots of the interior of the writer’s home that almost set up the expectation of dramatic action. Also, at least screenwriter Robert Caso stayed away from toilet humor. I’ll take stoned middle-aged men out for a night of cow tipping over toilet humor any day.

With a nice slate of films, check the Indy Film Fest schedule closely before deciding to spend your money on “Between Waves.”