Other Side Drive: Tuesday

Film Crunch

By: Andrea Rodriguez

Episode 8

If a magical teapot paid you hundreds of dollars for the cost of hurting yourself would you do it? Well, Andrea Rodriguez has a fantasy/comedy indie film that will keep you laughing and guessing all the way through for you to check out!

Relax independent film fans. We have an indie film worth seeing. Ramaa Mosley’s The Brass Teapot is yet another film that exercises its inalienable right to be an enthusiastically original gem of an indie film.  It has dark comedy, unbelievable fantasies, suspense that won’t quit and a newly-wed couple who reminds us of the important things in life.

This is the story of two high school sweethearts who marry with a positive outlook on life but things don’t go as planned. They are a  lower middle class couple struggling to make ends meet in such unforgiving times. Alice (Juno Temple) plays the role of the wife unable to accept an entry-level position and start straight at the top, with an arts history major under her belt.  John (Michael Angarano) plays the role of the husband who has been trying for a position but getting nowhere.

Until one day, they stumble upon an antique shop run by an older woman. When Alice sees a teapot inside the woman’s office she is instantly drawn to it and steals it. Not long after stealing it, Alice and John discover that the teapot, which is beautifully welded and meticulously crafted, actually possesses a strange power; if the owner of it inflicts pain on themselves or someone else they will be rewarded with money, often in the hundreds.

Alice- “It gives you money when you hurt yourself.”

John –“What?”

Alice- “How else can you explain it?”

John- “Alice, Alice- you put the money in the teapot before you hit me.”

Alice- “No, No I didn’t. It’s empty, empty.”

John- “what are you doing?”

Alice- “abracadabra”

This causes Alice and John to resort to drastic measures to obtain cash, with methods including a full-Brazilian wax and dental surgery without any Novocain. It’s a story of how far this couple is willing to go to have all their dreams come true, so as the story unfolds the teapot develops a tolerance to their pain.

Alice- “Yeah it’s only fives and ones”

John- “The teapot doesn’t like pain like it used to”

All these people have had this teapot throughout history,, so the question is will John and Alice be able to overcome the power of the teapot.

The comic possibilities are endless, and writer Tim Macy exposes them all with funny results and a zealous energy. The Brass Teapot is well worth the one-hundred and one minutes. I highly recommend this indie film to anyone who wants to see a film with heart, wit, intelligence, and humor almost bursting from screen.

Watch the trailer!