Movie Review: Funny Pages

4 stars out of 5

You have to hand it to Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates — they’ve churned out a couple of super-talented kids. Greta Kline has been a fave of mine for a while, via her band Frankie Cosmos. And now Owen Kline has written and directed a self-assured feature debut which is by turns funny, sad, disturbing, and offbeat. And very Jersey.

The Kline siblings impressively both seem devoted to all things indie. Greta began as a perfectly twee singer/songwriter and maintains that essence. Owen likely could’ve recruited some famous faces to round out his film, but he goes a steadfastly independent route. The most well-known name in the opening credits is Sean O’Hagan of the High Llamas who did the music, and if you’re a nerd like me you’ll recognize that Peter Bagge did the title design.

Our lead is Daniel Zolghadri as high school senior Robert. “He looks liked a young Wilmer Valderrama” are words I have never strung together before, but they apply here. Robert loves to draw underground-style comics. Inspired by a perhaps overly enthusiastic teacher, Robert decides he doesn’t need art school or even to finish high school. He’s ready to leave his comfortable home (Princeton) and pursue his gritty comic dreams (Trenton).

Zolghadri isn’t afraid to portray the character early on as a I-know-better-than-everybody-else jerk (not an uncommon high school trait), and his performance becomes more vulnerable and likable as things don’t go exactly as hoped.

And Kline isn’t afraid of populating his movie with, um, let’s say, “interesting” looking actors. Their hair alone should win an Independent Spirit Award. Roger’s suburban mom and dad are really the only conventially attractive people we see; his buddies and new Trenton pals might’ve come from a casting call for a show named Geeks and Geeks. Just one delightfully odd example is Michael Townsend Wright as Roger’s new landlord/roommate. Wright is an Uncle Floyd Show alum and (full disclosure) a pal of mine dating to our time together on an ultimately failed attempt to reboot Captain Kangaroo. (R.I.P. Pat Cashin) Wright is a rather dapper fellow but “Barry” certainly is not. He’s very, very sweaty and unkempt and weeeeeeiiiiiiird yet not unkind. And oh my his hair. Cheers for a tremendous, restrained performance by M.T. Wright!

I must also spotlight Matthew Maher as Roger’s very reluctant new friend/new mentor. Maher captures an extreme social awkwardness masked in unwarranted confidence. And there’s a little bit of humanity in there too.

Beyond the New Jersey settings (hooray for the Trenton Makes The World Takes sign) and the Vivino connection, we also hear WFMU’s Dave the Spazz show (very difficult to get on the car radio from central Jerz but I’ll let it slide) and Roger wears a Princeton Record Exchange t-shirt. Plus the film would fit easily in the Clerks Universe, with heaping tablespoons of American Splendor and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.

If I have a gripe, it’s that the story seemed to want to play out a little bit further than Owen Kline was willing or able to do. But I’m sure his storytelling will improve and mature with another movie or two under his belt. For the time being, this is a very promising debut from a clearly well-raised young man.