A Samoan security guard and a young campus bus driver forge an unlikely bond in this heartwarming story with a deep understanding of place
Packed with a host of off-kilter characters and traversing some over-familiar indie terrain, this slacker
comedy co-directed by John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke could easily have seemed grating. Nevertheless, believable performances, along with a deep understanding of place, lend Drunk Bus a cheeriness that is entertaining and heartwarming.
Just like the creaky campus bus that he has driven around the same route every night for the past four years, recent graduate Michael (Charlie Tahan) is stuck in a depressing loop. His Catholic girlfriend Amy (Sarah Mezzanotte) has left him for
New York, while the still-virgin Michael remains in Kent, Ohio. His daily dealings with drunk students and aggressive, burrito-throwing frat boys bear the same approach: meek numbness and exasperated acceptance. His directionless apathy changes when, after a minor scuffle, Pineapple (Pineapple Tangaroa), an intimidating-looking Samoan security guard with a full facial tattoo, is assigned to protect the bus. The pair make for an endearing odd couple as Pineapple nudges Michael on to a more carefree path.