Small Engine Repair

Directed by John Pollono, Small Engine Repair details the low-key exploits of three lifelong friends (Pollono’s Frank, Jon Bernthal’s Terrence, and Shea Whigham’s Packie) in and around their working-class neighborhood. First-time filmmaker Pollono, working from his own screenplay, has infused Small Engine Repair with an appealingly laid-back (and uneventful) feel that benefits from the agreeable efforts of its three central players, and it’s clear, too, that the strength of the performances is heightened (and then some) by the stirring, palpable chemistry between their respective characters – with the picture’s opening stretch, as a result, boasting a hangout-type of vibe that proves fairly impossible to resist. The easygoing atmosphere, which is perpetuated by the relaxed pace and emphasis on subdued dialogue, persists right up until around a fairly specific occurrence within the movie’s second half, as Single Engine Repair, beyond that point, essentially transforms into a far more tense and electrifying endeavor than one might’ve initially anticipated. And although certain episodes within the film’s third act aren’t quite as potent as Pollono has obviously intended, Small Engine Repair, by the time it arrives at its satisfying concluion, has undoubtedly confirmed its place as a striking debut for an exceedingly promising new filmmaker.

*** out of ****