Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival – Basing a movie solely on two characters carries mighty risks, but somehow, Anchorage pulls it off. Director Scott Monahan and writer Dakota Loesch managed to craft a strong feature with a sprawling, desolate landscape that reflects the film’s bleak tones and themes. Even if you’re stuck in a car and vacant buildings with these guys for nearly 90 minutes, you somehow don’t get sick of them, despite their warts and flaws, and oh, they have many.

Monahan stars as the blue-haired Jacob and Loesch pays his brother John, who’s quick to endanger the duo with his reckless and drug-fueled antics. The two make their way from Florida to Anchorage to sell a trunk full of opioids hidden in teddy bears. This is their get-rich-quick scheme. They drive up the coast of California, through endless desert, stopping in vacant homes with busted windows and graffiti-tagged walls.

Setting here becomes a character, symbolic of the brothers’ dead-end futures. Yet, there’s an interesting contrast between the dilapidated buildings and the sunny California sky. It underscores the differences between the brothers, perhaps, especially considering Jacob’s blue hair and blue clothes. He’s the one with the better, saner ideas, even if his bro ignores him.   Meanwhile, even the clunker of a car starts to feel like a character, with a Bible on the dash, cigarette butts overflowing in the ashtray, and empty liquor bottles in the backseat. You can almost smell the stink of a long road trip. There are some real gross-out moments, too. John bites his toenails while riding shotgun for instance. Yes, you read that right. These dudes really need a shower. Heck, John needs to be hosed down.

So much of this film is filled with dialogue. Some of the conversations are funny, but the script manages to touch upon aspects of the American dream seamlessly. The characters fantasize about what they’d do with a million dollars. Later on, they come up with their own fast-food combos. It’s a clever bit of writing that touches on the American dream, capitalism, and consumerism, but it all feels natural, never preachy or forced. This is no easy feat, and it’s a credit to Loesch’s writing talents.

Yet, even if the film contains humor, and it does, there’s a tragic and violent undercurrent. The eventual ending is the only path that makes sense for these brothers. And because there are only two characters, you’re forced to sympathize with Jacob, especially when he’s contrasted with John. Sure, Jacob has his flaws, but he does his best to get to Anchorage and keep them on a straight and narrow road. He even listens to scripture on tape and wears a cross necklace. When they do veer off the path, it’s always John’s fault. Jacob’s frustration towards his self-destructive bro builds, and it’s warranted. The violence only escalates.

Shot in just five days with a minuscule budget, this is Monahan’s first feature. I hope this duo continues to work together. Despite its limited budget, Anchorage is a hefty movie. It’s a character-driven, drug-induced road trip with sudden and surprising eruptions of violence. Its themes echo and haunt, reinforced by the stellar use of location and landscape.

8 Out of 10