Broken Frontier

In the annals of cinema, there’s never been a better bet than the buddy picture; the only film genre whose origins are purely Hollywood. That its predictability is only exceeded by its versatility is proof of its timelessness and guarantees that it will never fall out of favor. 

And because of our cultural love of the underdog, an archetype ready-made for the most character arc of all, there’s no more perfect format for stories about those derisively called “geeks” than the buddy picture. The story’s simple: Geek wallows in his geekdom as happily as a pig wallows in slop; Geek encounters the “real world” the rest of us call home in a way that makes him question his geeky ways; Geek grows from the crisis, yet affirms - with a barbaric yawlp worthy of Whitman - the geek within us all. And if geeks are perfect buddy picture material, then perhaps a comic book geek named Nick, who drops a bundle on a Green Lantern Corps power battery and dons a mask and his fiancée’s panties, totally spacing on their engagement dinner, is the perfect geek.

That’s how Bite Me, Fanboy, a nifty little indie flick from Mat Nastos, Aaron Akagi and the good people at Nifty Comics, begins, and it’s as embarrassing as it is hilarious.

Nick has the heart of gold and good intentions that the one-half of any buddy team needs. But his priorities are seriously out of whack, especially given how hot Rachel, his soon to be ex-fiancee, is. She’s double-take hot, with two Masters Degrees and a sweet gig at NASA to boot. Why she loves a pizza tosser of such little spine as Nick is a mystery not quite solved, but it’s clear that she’s the best thing to ever happen to him. When she leaves, he’s devastated, and for consolation and advice, he turns to his best friend, Jared, the cynical, foul-mouthed other half of Bite Me Fanboy’s buddy team who also has a racist streak and works in the local comics shop. A true friend, he does his best to get Nick’s head right about the situation, then, sets him up with one date after another, each complete with disastrous and hilarious consequences. Complicating matters is the trench-coated mama’s boy “Rimjob” Ray, who’s gained a modicum of comic stardom. Not only does he kick Nicks ass, but he makes a (to Nick) seemingly successful play for Rachel. That Rachel actually goes out with Ray sends Nick into deeper despair. Eventually, a serious life change is made - all the comics, posters, and toys are tossed, along with all the good things that made Nick “Nick.” His friends alienated, somehow Nick must find a way to reconcile his obsessions with his need for Rachel. 

To some extent, every one of us touched by “the magnificent obsession” has experienced a Nick dilemma, when we have to seriously examine the commitments of time, money, or priority that any true passion demands. Usually the obsession and how we deal with it are not as drastic as Nick’s, but Bite Me, Fanboy dramatizes it effectively. Similarly well-portrayed is the culture, mostly to comedic effect. Though the plot is predictable, along the way there are some great comedic moments, many which the viewer need not be a fanboy to appreciate.

All viewers need to know about the difference between Jared and Nick can be found in their choice of superhero t-shirts. Jared (The Flash) is quick-witted and always to the point. Nick (The Hal Jordan Green Lantern) is contemplative and idealistic, a hopeless romantic always concerned about the right thing in that superhero way. It makes for great comedy. Jared sets up every one of Nick’s post-Rachel dates. One stabs him in the face with a fork; another is an elf trapped in a human’s body; still another is a dude in drag prone to feminist rants about comics’ portrayal of women - and every one of them is a scream. And when Jared’s not spewing venom, anything else out of his mouth his hilarious. Indeed, the comedy steps into high gear whenever he’s on the screen, Jerome Joyce’s fluid, natural portrayal stealing the show at every turn. Though the Nick/Rachel relationship is central to the movie, it’s predictably so, and because he shakes things up throughout Bite Me, Fanboy, it’s Jared who really drives the narrative. 

As my copy of Bite Me, Fanboy was a rough screener, I can’t really speak to the production quality of the finished product. But in terms of technique, Director Nick Nastos moves the camera well, and his screenplay has good structure, though the first two scenes are much longer than they need to be. However, once they’re over, the film moves along at a nice, steady pace, with plenty laughs interspersed one or two poignant moments. The music, most evocative of They Might Be Giants, is amusing and does a good job of setting the tone.

Bite Me, Fanboy is the sort of comedy anyone can enjoy, and can be purchased on the Nifty Comics site at www.niftycomics.com/bmf.htm.