Name: Pipe Dream
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2015-05-30
Duration: 1 h 35 min
Rating: 3.2
Cast: Nathan Wright, Chris Schmuttermaier, Robert Griffiths

A trio of clueless high school grads head to the annual end of school party (schoolies) with an elder brother 'toolie', seizing the opportunity to offload a bag of weed upon which they've stumbled which will raise them enough money to replace a priceless heirloom.

A raving drug detective-sergeant and his overly-intense partner, an innocent cordial-drinking, God-abiding nubile, and a rather innocuous looking suburban drug lord and her over-zealous muscle make up the vast array of oddball characters into whose orbit our intrepid quartet are drawn with their misguided dope-dealing antics. And despite the title reference, whilst there's lit spliffs abound, I didn't detect an actual pipe implement anywhere in sight.

Ultra-low budget homage of the Australian east coast end of school rite of passage intersperses footage of actual schoolies and local landmarks in a postcard bender of sorts that is easy to follow, but potentially too budget constrained to attract a wider audience. Overall it's an honest attempt to give the traditional end-of-school/stoner movie a uniquely Oz-styled flavour, but needed something special to elevate it beyond rank amateur status.

Not sure if everyone in front of the camera is a professional actor, film student or merely enthusiastic amateur, but the result seems like it would be much the same within the confined production, with performances that at times lack nuances like 'listening' gestures and more fluid movement. The exclusive use of exteriors and associated light/shade challenges (and innovative attempts at back-lighting), lack of musical cues (a pub-rock soundtrack substitutes) and some erratic hand-held camera movement are often distracting, and notwithstanding the technical limitations, the characters are likeable and there's generally enough plot material and whacky set-ups (including a dark turn involving a pair of pliers and a shootout) to keep up the momentum. Allowing for the scale, it's just passable if you're in the right mood for some brainless antics.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Two wannabe Schoolies stumble upon a stash of "weed", and through the misguidance of an older brother, they get caught up in the war on drugs waged by the authorities.

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Mary-Louise Parker, Rebecca Gayheart, and Martin Donovan in Pipe Dream (2001)

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Chris Schmuttermaier and Nathan Wright in Pipe Dream (2015)

Pipe Dream

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