In Jon Westling’s feature film, Brainbugs, Ted (Dennis Curry) is a shy young man whose life feels weighed down by family responsibility. At his mother’s request, he reluctantly agrees to watch his younger brother later in the week. He spends his evenings as a food delivery driver, and during one of his routes, his father calls to check in, though it amounts to little more than a non-conversation. Ted seems caught between wanting independence and being pulled back by the expectations of his family.
On a routine delivery, Ted’s night takes a sharp turn. Arriving at an apartment, he is met at gunpoint and forced inside by a stranger (Mike Pollock). The man orders Ted to drive him around until they find someone to rob, after which Ted must drive him far away. Ted realizes he’s trapped in a dangerous situation with no clear way out.
As planned, the stranger finally selects a victim. The robbery spirals out of control, and the victim is shot in the chaos. As the two flee the scene, the gunman grows agitated, demanding that Ted drive him far away. Ted knows that if he can’t calm the situation, he’s done for.
“In a tense situation, Ted decides his only chance of survival is to get to know his captor.”
Brainbugs is an indie film, and it is indie magic. It’s a simple tale of a violent stranger and his victim. The story truly begins on the long car ride after the botched robbery/murder. In a tense situation, Ted decides his only chance of survival is to get to know his captor. They share stories of their childhoods. Ted is almost invisible to his parents and friends. The stranger tells the story of the tragic loss of his mother and then being abandoned by his father. Later, Ted shares a blunt to take the edge off the situation.
As the car ride continues, this peculiar friendship forms as each realizes they are the products of the disappointing and often tragic events in their lives. Then it all leads to an ending that I’ll say is oddly satisfying. Watch the movie and you’ll see.
The true charm comes from writer/director Jon Westling’s indie spirit to get his movie made and not succumb to any Hollywood treatment. It’s shot on a microbudget…just two guys in a car having an intense conversation. Now add a grainy black-and-white vibe to the images thrown up on screen. Then, the audacity to give us a stylized reverse black-and-white feel to the more violent moments, along with conversations that take place in the dead of night. It has a low-budget Sin City appeal at this point.
To me, Brainbugs defines that independent spirit. It tells a deeply thoughtful story that Hollywood would never attempt. It employs camera techniques that not only compensate for the film’s limited budget but also lend it a unique vibe. Now, it’s up to you to support filmmakers like Jon Westling to see what story he has coming up next.
"…Then it all leads to an ending that I'll say is oddly satisfying."
