Part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Now here’s a title that the Ronseal spokesman would be proud of. The fictional Californian school of Tides High has fallen victim to foul play by its principal, who was so keen to usher in new planning permission that he forged structural integrity documents to push through the new gym. Predictably, an earthquake hits the school just moments after the building is unveiled and the entire high school, as the name indicates, sinks into the sea.
In an age where digital animation has become king, it’s perhaps commendable that writer and director (and protagonist) Dash Shaw uses large amounts of hand-drawn sketches and abstract visuals… but on the other hand, they’re of such a poor quality that even the most effusive of mothers might be stopped dead in her tracks. It’s reminiscent of an Adult Swim wannabee that didn’t quite make the cut, probably because it’s almost unvaryingly unfunny and badly drawn, to boot.
Not to say that there aren’t some bright spots. The sparkly cast is a real coup for Shaw, with Jason Schwartzman, Maya Rudolph and Lena Dunham leading a strong line. But while all three are adequate in their voiceovers, there’s only so much talented actors can do with a dud script – especially when their real faces aren’t seen. Contrastingly, Susan Sarandon is required to perform no such damage limitation in her role; Lunch Lady Lorraine is by far and away the most magnetic character and delivers pretty much every single snigger in the movie’s 77-minute duration.
At just over an hour long, this is by no means a lengthy film. Having said that, it certainly feels too long, with the action dragging at times despite its fantastical and melodramatic nature. The writer appears to try and salvage something at the finale with a healthy dose of self-awareness, but it’s far too little, far too late. The poor animation and preposterous plotlines are entirely forgivable, but the lack of humour and the inability to hold an audience’s interest are not. For a high school project, this would probably be a five-star affair; for an international film festival, it simply sinks without a trace.
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