Vacationland (2006)

Vacationland (2006)

Director: Todd Verow
Writers: Jim Dwyer (screenplay), Todd Verow (screenplay)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Language: English
Duration: 104 min

Stars: Brad Hallowell, Gregory J. Lucas, Hilary Mann, Michael Dion, Charles Ard

Filmmaker Todd Verow revisits his own youth for his latest work. The film’s main character is Joe, who, like the director, grew up in Bangor in Maine. Joe, an 18 year old high school senior who longs to move away from poor white trash roots and this town, and dreams of attending art school, lives with his single mother and older sister Theresa on a notorious council estate called “Capehart Projects”. Molested at the age of ten, Joe nevertheless decides to keep the incident to himself. He befriends an elderly disabled artist named Victor who hires him as houseboy/model. Joe moves in with Victor in his loft above the local opera house, hoping to escape Bangor with his help. He also works part time at a local market along with his sister, who wants to get out of town as much as he does. For most of high school, Joe has also had a crush on his best friend, Andrew, who plays on the high school football team.

He also fools around with his French teacher, whom he blackmails into helping him apply to the Rhode Island School of Design. Andrew uses alcohol to try to relax with girls, but he hangs out in public bathrooms and lets strangers play with his leg hair and actually has a crush on Joe. Two girls they dated eventually convince them to explore their mutual attraction for each other. and they also check out the local gay disco. Joe is secure about his sexuality and his plans for school, although he has no idea where the money will come from, while Andrew continues to drink heavily while trying to reconcile what he wants to do with the rest of his life, and if Joe should be a part of it. One night, a face out of Joe’s past returns to haunt him, and brings to the surface feelings he thought were long buried.