Small Engine Repair

Wish I could give it a higher score, because it had potential to be great, sadly the dark & "nice" story the movie turns into being about is buried under crass immature boy brain behavior & talk throughout the first half of the movie. If you like "boys locker room talk" you'll like this movie, I guess.

This was the moment I lost trust in critical review. This film is high art. Topical and nostalgic at once. The writing, directing, and casting are impeccable. I guess we have lost our attention span collectively. Something so sweet can be right at your finger tips and you’re too busy looking for clicks.

Gritty, NE neighborhood story of 3 close friends going through 30 years of history and unimaginable current events. Stay with it. Twists and turns. Well casted and acted.

Really well acted, directed and written. Totally unpredictable. Just push past through the badly done new england accents as it will be worth it. Outside of that this movie is fantastic.

Really brilliant, give it a watch. Very well written and acted. The story hits so many beats that you would want it to hit. Speaks to modern culture in a way we havent seen before.

Maybe the best movie on HULU! Not one boring moment. A movie that gets crazy with zero logic problems which is so rare to have such talented writing. One of those movies where you can see yourself being pulled into a crazy situation.

Three lifelong friends who are more like brothers come together after an event occurs that will either bring them closer together or tear them apart. John Pollono, Jon Bernthal and Shea Whigham star in this taut drama that expertly builds tension right up until the conclusion. Really enjoyed this one.

The film is great and at the level of the play -- I definitely recommend it. My friends didn't know the twist and it was fun watching their reactions

Commendable, but severely flawed. Where a story of blue collar revenge could have navigated with some intelligence wound up being a PSA about sexting, terrible parenting and with an ending that felt made up on the spot. A movie that spent time building up its characters, yet concluded by making them all complete morons. Bravo.

This film left me speechless, which I suppose was writer-actor John Pollono's intent. The performances by Pollono (Frank), Shea Whigham (Packie), and John Bernthal (Swaino) are so strong that, in spite of their ridiculous masculine bravado, dropping "F" bombs in virtualy every line they speak, we can't help but like their characters—in a pitying way. The hapless trio reunite at Frank's small engine repair shop after a three month separation caused by a bar fight. They do all the expected blue collar male stuff: drunken, "I love you, bro" routines; macho stories about female conquests; sucking on a bong and chugging beer; watching boxing on TV; and of course, grilling red meat. But there is a reason for this party that is not yet revealed. Frank has invited Chad (Josh Helman), a young law student, to bring some ecstasy, but that's only a pretense. The real reason for the invite is a social media incident involving Chad and Frank's teenaged daughter Crystal (Ciara Bravo). And vengeance ensues. I cannot reveal any more, but suffice it to say that the ensuing events are revolting, mind-blowing, outrageous, and a slew of other adjectives too numerous to list here. Whether or not you buy into the insanity depends on you as an individual. I personally struggled with it. But I was so captivated by the extraordinary acting that I stayed with it to the end—which, by the way, kind of redeems what we had to endure before. "Small Engine Repair" was originally a play, written by Pollono, and much of it has a staged feel. After the first forty minutes or so, it takes place in a single setting. But again, it's the performances that keep it moving. I can recommend this film for viewers with patience and an appreciation for great acting. And a tolerance for obscenities and a strong stomach would be helpful.