Rolling on the Floor Laughing

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A drama short that utilizes every minute of running time to cram as much awkward tension into 20 minutes as possible. Don't be fooled by the title, "Rolling on the Floor Laughing" is anything but a laugh riot. It is a spectacular family drama, though.

There's no greater social obstacle than introducing a new boyfriend to your two grown adult sons. As these brothers soon come to find out on a return trip home to their widowed mother, she has a new man in her life, and never the twain shall meet. Each son takes the news badly, to say the least, but they externalize their anger in different fits of rage. The younger of the two chooses to drown his sorrows with wine and remains more passive-aggressive throughout. The oldest brother, on the other hand, is more straightforward and proceeds to try and humiliate the new beau.

The film is paced beautifully, building to a spectacularly tense climax. "Rolling on the Floor Laughing" is a modern day slice of Americana. With divorce rates on the rise, the nuclear family dynamic is forever altered. Simply put, the movie is extremely grounded in a pertinent reality, which makes the exchanges between the sons and their mother's lover all the more awkward. The plot is constructed perfectly, with writing that is vibrantly penned for a clearly younger audience. Definitely a short worth watching for fans of nervous laughter.