Don't expect a simple plot summary in this review, because there really is none to be had. I can tell you that the ostensible plot has something to do with Donald (played by musician Will Oldham), who mysteriously disappears after some power mishaps at the nearby power plant (portrayed by Three Mile Island in a stunning performance). What really occurs is a Slacker-esque intersection of lives and stories that meanders amiably along and involves Donald's dysfunctional father, Mr. Turnupseed (Ken Byrnes), a woman named Ethel Firecracker (Kathleen Kennedy) who is searching for her lost dog, Donald's demolition derby driver girlfriend Sadie (Sheila Scullin), and, most importantly, a sweet 10 year old girl named Turkeylegs (Katy Haywood), who is about the closest thing to a friend nerdy Donald has ever had. The film in fact opens and closes with narration from Turkeylegs, and if the proceedings weren't so decidedly non-linear one could make the case the film is told largely from her viewpoint, but it really isn't. There isn't a clear point of view in The Guatemalan Handshake, and that will either delight an audience who prefers its films to be verging on the surreal, or leave the more rationally minded scratching their collective heads. While Turkeylegs' opening monologue sets up what is supposedly going to be some kind of metaphor--a demolition derby--there's really not enough information imparted about any of these characters along the way to make the analogy work.

What saves Handshake from being completely self-absorbed and over-the-top is its for the most part completely winning performances. While there is the occasional awkwardness that is frequently to be found in small budget indy features, for the most part the leads are spectacularly successful at depicting their idiosyncratic characters. Katy Haywood gives one of the sweetest, most natural juvenile performances I've ever seen, and she seems destined for major feature success. Oldham does a nice job essaying a character we never really get to know very well, making the most of a few scenes with Byrnes as his dunderheaded father. Several actual locals show up in various scenes, including a town sheriff.

What may lead some viewers to be confused is a certain unevenness of tone as the film also meanders from slapstick to more nuanced comedy to uncomfortably real drama in the blink of an eye. One scene may segue from an electrocuted dog (actually a comedic moment, for what it's worth) to the heartfelt pinings of Turkeylegs with little or no bridging material. There are also some time shifts that in at least one case are not as deftly handled as they might be. Though I suppose you can come up with a cogent reason for putting one flashback in black and white and one in color (the monochromatic one takes place in the 50s), it may leave some viewers unsure of what's happening when. However, if you are prone to "go with the flow," and let the film's very real charms carry you, without worrying too much about the changing emotional and temporal landscape, chances are you will find a lot to recommend The Guatemalan Handshake.

Director-writer Todd Rohal has an eye, there is no doubt about it. How many indy directors can you name who are working with a 2.35:1 image, and doing so beautifully. I was consistently impressed with Rohal's visual sweep and his nice, often tangential ways of tying various storylines together. I just wish it could have been put in service of a more coherent story.

The Guatemalan Handshake has all the trappings of a cult sensation and is racking up considerable awards on the independent film festival circuit. Your response to it can probably best be gauged by how well you responded to such disparate fare as Napoleon Dynamite, Slacker, and, for its patently surreal elements and brooding score which this feature also proffers, Twin Peaks.

The DVD

Video:
There are pluses and minuses to this 2.35:1 enhanced high definition transfer. While the basic image is sound, with generally excellent color, contrast and saturation, there is quite a bit of dirt and other abrasion, especially in the opening scenes. Things seem to clear up considerably after the first 15 or so minutes.

Sound:
Both the 2.0 and 5.1 soundtracks are excellent, sporting great separation (especially during the big demolition derby finale), clear dialogue, and some wonderful music, courtesy of David Wingo and various groups.

Extras:
Disc One features a commentary manned by director Rohal and several of the production crew. While they obviously are having a blast reminiscing about making the film, I personally would have loved a little more insight into what exactly they meant by it all. There are also several deleted scenes and a patently weird music video directed by Rohal featuring some pretty bad green screen effects. Disc Two features "10 Moments from the Set," which amount to snippets showing Oldham getting permed for his role and the like. There is a similar set of "4 Moments from the Road," as the film was trotted out for audiences. Probably of most interest are Six Short Films by various people associated with Handshake, including little Katy Haywood. The DVD is packaged extremely nicely, with an attractive slipcase covering the two-disc keepcase, which includes a nice glossy booklet with an informative (and funny) essay David Gordon Green.

Final Thoughts:
If you love "quirky," you're going to love The Guatemalan Handshake. Full of strange, yet lovable characters, and with a palpable, if peculiar, feel for time and place, the film is a good first major feature effort from director Todd Rohal. While it has its flaws, the film has a sweetness of heart and such winning performances that most indy film fans will be won over by its somewhat bizarre charms. Recommended.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet