By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Wes Hurley
Starring: Dan Lauria | Hersh Powers | Jonathan Bennett | Lea DeLaria | Marya Sea Kaminski | Sera Barbieri | Tyler Bocock
Country: united_states
Year: 2022
Running time: 95
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3513522/reference
Michael says: “This stylized autobiography of a precocious gay boy growing up in Russia, his mail-order bride mother, and their escape to American is sweet and clever, with a few awkward moments, but overall and entertaining jaunt. The first half of the film takes place in Russia, where young ‘Potato’ is bullied at school, becomes absorbed bye American TV, accepts Christ into his home (literally — although no one but Potato can see him, and he shares the same fascination with American TV as Potato) and endures the domineering oversight of his grandmother, played with deadpan panache by Lea Delaria. Potato’s Mother, Lena, only wants what is best for her son, and when it looks like Potato is bound for the Russian army when he finished school, she tries to become a mail-order bride so the two of them can travel to America and enjoy the riches and freedom that offers.
“Lena’s plan works, but her new husband isn’t quite what she expected. Now in high school, hormones a-blazing, Potato discovers Gregg Araki’s THE LIVING END at the video store, and a whole world opens up to him… in his mind at least. While his new step-father morphs into s bible-thumping conservative, threatening to send them back to Russia as he did with his last wife, if they don’t uphold his values, potato desperately keeps his desires buried deep inside him until he tearfully confesses to his mother that he is gay. Her response shocks him as she is so relieved and so happy… until her husband finds out. There are few more twists to come, but they’re part of the film’s fun and wacky premise… one that is presumably a result of truth being stranger than fiction.
“Tonally, POTATO DREAMS OF AMERICA is curious. Something a cross between BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER, and one of Guy Maddin’s less fantasmagoric works, it is stylized, droll, and rather farcical. One curious bit, the reason for which becomes apparent at the conclusion of the film, has young Potato, and Lena in Russia cast by American actors speaking with American accents, but when they come to America, they are substituted by Russian actors with Russian accents. It was interesting, then made perfect sense as the film revealed their current day lives. Earnest, yet kooky, POTATO DREAMS OF AMERCA was a lot of fun. 3.5 cats
Screened at the Provincetown International Film Festival”
Chris says: “Wes Hurley’s autobiographical feature falls into the so-crazy-you-couldn’t-possibly-make-it-up bin: born in the USSR and nicknamed ‘Potato’ (which instantly clarifies the odd title), he and his mom immigrate to the US in the 90’s when she becomes a mail-order bride while he struggles with his homosexuality. Quirky in a camp, later John Waters way, the film is often a little more slapdash than I’d hoped it would be, but it also feels genuine and unique. It has Lea DeLaria (at her most feminine!) as the grandmother, Dan ‘The Wonder Years’ Lauria as his new stepfather (like you’ve never seen him before) and Jonathan Bennett (from MEAN GIRLS) as a slacker Jesus. Any questions? 3.5 cats
Screened at the Provincetown International Film Festival”
Beth C.says: “Directed by Wes Hurley, this film is cute, funny, and charming. But, ultimately it’s pretty bad. The script is super silly. The characters work pretty hard to deliver their lines, and it’s very melodramatic. Much of the film is set to dramatic music. The twists and turns are funny and charming, but cannot carry the film. It’s just not good. 2 cats
“Screened at the Provincetown International Film Festival“