Bindlestiffs

Bindlestiffs is an American comedy movie released in 2012, directed by Andrew Edison, and starred by John Karna, Luke Loftin, and Andrew Edison. This independent film is an urban adventure comedy that follows the life of three high school friends who rebelliously decide to explore the exciting, chaotic, and often hilarious escapades of city life after being suspended from school.

The film is set in a contemporary time where teenage rebellion, adolescent mischief, and brandishing wit, are just some of the spices that make life more interesting for our protagonists. Andrew Edison also stars as one of the lead characters - Andrew who, along with his two friends John and Luke, forms the notorious Bindlestiffs squad. The storyline majorly hinges on their experience of the adult world while refraining from their everyday life.

The movie starts off showing the boys leading an average high school life, living in a suburban neighborhood. They are portrayed as average teenagers who mostly struggle with their mundane lives, unfulfilled teenage fantasies, and daily school life. However, things take an interesting turn when they find themselves at odds with their school's authorities resulting in their suspension. This is when they decide to turn to the city, to taste what it feels like living an adult life, being disobedient, and dealing with real-world complexities.

What follows is a roller coaster journey filled with raucus humor, witty dialogue, and the classic hallmarks of teenage rebellion. The three friends plan to leave their suburban comforts for the challenges of the big city where they believe true freedom and adventure await. Hunted by raw instincts, wishful thinking, and vivid imaginations, they set off to experience downtown disorderliness but soon discover things are more hilariously chaotic than they'd originally thought.

Edison's film stylistically captures the episodic nature of their journey comprised of sketches, scrapes, and a wild array of city characters. The filmmakers employ an urban background to juxtapose the characters' mundane suburban life and provide a canvas for their misadventures. The narrative is filled with witty humor, situational comedy, and elements of raw comedy that are characteristic of this genre.

John Karna plays the fictional John in the film, Luke Loftin plays Luke, and Andrew embodies the role of Andrew. Their chemistry as best friends seems real throughout their journey, providing an authentic backdrop for this comedic tale. They throw straight the rawness and bewilderment of teenagers experimenting with their newfound freedom.

Throughout the movie, viewers will see these curious and adventurous teens immerse themselves in poorly made decisions resulting in tremendous comedic effect. They engage comically in different exploits and meet a host of colorful characters that shape their experience in the city. The characters they meet along the way include the clichéd street smart, corrupt cops, shady residents, and unwitting store owners, and each of them adds a different flavor to their journey.

The filmmakers use a pseudo-documentary shooting style that provides a certain rawness to the film and helps highlights the grittiness of city life while enhancing the comedic elements. The film’s unusual title, Bindlestiffs, refers to a term used in the early twentieth century to describe migratory workers or hobos who carried their belongings in a bindle (a cloth carrier).

It's a coming-of-age story told with a twist. Instead of the typical high school setting, the movie takes the boys through a whirlwind of city experiences. It's the quintessential story of boys who want to be men, set in the world they only fantasized about till it became a reality - only in a less glamorous and more chaotic way than they'd imagined. Drawn out over a combination of adolescent mishaps, teenage ebullitions, and absurdly funny escapades, "Bindlestiffs" presents a teen comedy filled with chaos, misfits, and a large dose of reality.

In conclusion, Bindlestiffs is a satire about teenage rebellion, capturing the naivety of adolescent curiosity and the harsh, humorous realities of life outside the safety of suburbia. With the pranks, loopy encounters, and their constant renditions of trying to act 'adult,' this movie draws an outrageously funny picture of their erroneous ideas about adulthood. It’s an outlandishly entertaining dip into the hapless endeavors and in the end, a harsh but hilarious awakening to the realities of the adult world for three suburban high school students.