As much as I dig Border Radio and Sugar Town, I feel like Strutter might be the crown jewel of Kurt Voss and Allison Anders' LA Rock Trilogy. Liberated by crowd funding and energized by the endless possibilities of cost-effective digital technology, this film has a spark that you simply can't force. It has the formal experimentation of a student/first film, but executed with the sure hands of filmmakers who've been around the bases a few times. Scenes aping other film styles/genres are able to effortlessly coexist alongside more traditional ones thanks to the absolutely singular voice of these two collaborators, united in vision. Everything here is unified by a palpable sense of understanding and compassion that reaches out of the screen and hugs you. Though some characters may make us laugh, it is because we've also been there. We might not all be rock stars, but we've all been fans and we've all been in love. This film doesn't have a cynical bone in its body. It sees the future as absolutely bright and filled with Sunday brunches. I really hope it eventually gets a formal release of some sort. I could absolutely see a cult growing up around this film...and it's awesome soundtrack!
Since it's likely to be a while before this film makes the rounds, here's a clip to give you a taste as well as the audio of an interview I moderated with the filmmakers following a recent screening.
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