High Road, a new direct-to-video release, is just what its title implies: part road movie, part stoner comedy. What makes it unique is what Millennium Entertainment advertises as a “totally improvised script.”
The film centers on Fitz (James Pumphrey), a 20-something burnout who takes to dealing pot when his bandmates bail on him for higher-paying gigs, and his 16-year-old client Jimmy (Dylan O’ Brien). Fitz hits the road in fear that the cops are on his tail after a drug deal gone awry, while Jimmy tags along after his dad threatens to send him to military school.
Naturally, Jimmy’s father (Rob Riggle of The Hangover and Step Brothers) fears his son has been kidnapped by some child molester and enlists in the help of a wannabe detective (Joe Lo Truglio of Superbad and Role Models). And the chase begins.
Credited as writer, director and producer, Matt Walsh (who you’ll probably recognize as Dr. Valsh from The Hangover) seems to have outlined the film so it hits every road movie cliche. The emotional journey and discovery is pretty obvious, but the chemistry of its ensemble pulls it through.
Some of the film’s cast members were trained in improv comedy troupes, but Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls, Hot Tub Time Machine), who claims to have no improv experience in the Blu-ray’s rather humorous cast and crew interviews, is particularly funny as the drummer in a White Stripes cover band. Ed Helms also stands out, cranking up the sleaze as a news producer putting the moves on Fitz’s girlfriend with the promise of a promotion.
And while the film was heavily improvised with a number of cast members groomed on SNL (Horatio Sanz as a creepy doctor and Abby Elliot as Fitz’s girlfriend), it never comes across as a collection of sketch comedy bits in the way I thought Bridesmaids did. The film flows smoothly from scene to scene and the conversations feel incredibly natural for how ludicrous the situations are.
The film is packed with the sort of subtle smartass humor that really works for me. When Fitz asks a complete stranger for a cigarette, the guy responds “I buy ’em at the store. They come in packs of 20. You should probably do the same.” That feels like a funny, real-life response. I often laughed without ever feeling like I was being set up for a big punchline.
High Road serves as proof that you don’t need a ton of money to make a good comedy. So why do the major studios keep making comedies like This Means War and The Change-Up, giving themselves no real chance of turning a profit with budgets exceeding $50 million?
I think High Road has a real shot at gaining a cult following, so give it a look if you’re hoping to stay in for a few laughs on a low-key Friday night. Most of the comedy is actually pretty broad. And just because it’s straight to DVD doesn’t mean it isn’t funny. It just means it doesn’t have a big star like Ryan Reynolds or Cameron Diaz and a bunch of Usher and Kanye West songs. Frankly, I can do without either.
