Small Engine Repair (2021) User Reviews (63)

Neither light nor darkness

[skykyiv · 7/10 · 4 January 2022]

This film is full of mixed messages, morals, feelings. Really worth a watch for any seasoned movie aficionado.

Unpredictable, changes pace constantly, male lead (who is also the director) is intense and nuanced. Pretty good and consistent acting all around. Technically good. Fusion of genres.

6.5/10 from me. It's good. It's not bad.

It was worth the wait

[Nevergivea10 · 7/10 · 30 January 2022]

It takes a long time before this movie really begins. Actually the boring beginning makes the last half even better. I wasn't expecting this movie to go where it went. Don't read the spoilers before you watch it and you'll be surprised.

Sleeper

[btoews · 7/10 · 30 June 2023]

A real slow burner of tension-well acted and intense-like a very dark hybrid of Trailer Park Boys/The Iceman Cometh/Death Wish. I don't like to read reviews that give away the whole plot (especially with a surprise like this) or watch trailers that do the same thing-I have no idea why IMDB needs long descriptions of the plot written down by every viewer-the best movie experiences are when you walk in knowing nothing. Anyway-this movie was a real throwback to the old days of movies-no fake characters inserted to fill a Diversity Equity Inclusion quota, no fake looking actors not matching the character.

How to effectively turn a play into a movie

[nwsabir · 7/10 · 10 September 2021]

I had never watched the play but knew it was award winning and how would it pan out in a movie was uncertain.

It stays close to its original format with rich dialogue and manages to keep you engaged, with just the right amount of visualisations and change of scenery. Amazing acting makes it all worth the watch, give Shea Whigham an Oscar already and Jon Bernthal in a non action role was a pleasant surprise.

The story is a sarcastic commentary on society which earns it the comedy drama classification and is worth a watch, you won't regret it.

Enjoyable film held up by great acting and writing

[nscoby93 · 7/10 · 3 July 2022]

Never heard of this film til last night and I have to say I enjoyed it.

An interesting drama following the lives of three friends their relationship and their issues. One thing this film does fantastically well is dialogue. The writing is phenomenal which is important considering how heavy in dialogue this film is. There is very little to no action and relies heavily on the acting and chemistry of these actors. Fortunately though the three leads Jon Bernthal, Shae Whigham, and John Pollono all deliver great performances.

Though all these positives aside this film falls apart for me in where as very little to nothing happens. When the plot finally begins to come to a head it leaves something to be desired.

While this was a very well done film it took to long for things to finally happen and when things finally did happen the pay off wasn't all that rewarding.

IMDb: 7/10 Letterboxd: 3/5

Watched on Hulu.

Above Average Small Budget Film

[jeff-2051 · 7/10 · 13 February 2022]

I don't understand the ultra-low or the ultra-high reviews. It's a very good script about family, violence, regret, redemption etc. Could it have been better? Yes. Maybe 20-minutes shorter with better editing, but for crying-out-loud, it's far above virtually everything on network television or comic book movies.

Such a beautiful hidden little gem

[jimdanton · 7/10 · 31 July 2022]

Acting?? Phew you get taken to the school of acting with this little gem. Every one of the main characters top of the game acting. The ending is a little sour and maybe.... different than what one would expect that's the reason for me not giving it 8 stars. It's a must see in my book but like I said the ending is a little dissapointing and lacks imagination.

Don't let the trailers dissuade you from viewing

[leesimon-26357 · 10/10 · 26 September 2021]

For the first third of the film, I kept thinking "I know where this is going because the trailer completely gave it away, so just get there, movie!" And then the movie goes paces completely not hinted at in the trailer.

I think some people may skip this because it seems like the trailer tells you everything. That is unfortunate because despite what the trailer implies, this is not your straight-forward "Avenge a loved one" narrative.

As for the film specifics, the acting is incredible, the writing and dialogue is believable and smooth, the setting is also believable and realistic. Everything from a film-making perspective was very well done. The characters are so easy to love, and each has a great back story. I think that it is a formidable example of masculinity, at a time where many of the male characters in films are one-dimensional, toxic and unapologetic. These 3 men are rough-around-the-edges, but also sweet, smart, courageous and genuine. I really loved the 3 male leads.

This film was tense, thrilling, sad at times, funny at times and always engaging. When it deviates from what the trailer implied, it became more engaging, and as the story plays out, I loved it more with every passing second.

I will be watching this film again, and definitely be recommending it.

Surprisingly Good

[stevendbeard · 7/10 · 13 September 2021]

I saw "Small Engine Repair", starring John Pollono-Stronger, Fight Your Way Out; Jon Bernthal-Ford v Ferrari, The Punisher_tv; Ciara Bravo-Cherry, Neighbors 2:Sorority Rising and Spencer House-Teenage Bounty Hunters_tv, Space Force_tv.

This is a surprisingly good movie that is based on a play by the lead actor, John Pollono. John also wrote and directed the movie. I said surprisingly good because I wasn't expecting too much-I hadn't heard much about it-and it had a couple of good twists. John plays the father of Ciara, a young girl about to enter college. John owns a small engine repair shop in New Jersey and has been raising her on his own-he is divorced-with the help of a couple of his best buds, Jon being one of them. When something bad happens to Ciara, John decides to take justice into his own hands and looks up Spencer, a college kid that might know some things that would help John dish out some payback. And of course, John enlists his buddies to help. The first part of the movie is on the lighter side-getting to know John and his buddies-but the last half turns pretty dark. It does end on a satisfying note, though.

It's rated "R" for violence, language, drug use and sexual content-including partial nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 43 minutes.

I don't know if I would buy it on DVD but it would be a good rental.

Going to lose people early and not reward the ones that stick around adequately

[jtindahouse · 5/10 · 4 February 2022]

'Small Engine Repair' is going to lose a lot of audience member's attention in the first 60-70 minutes. That's how long it takes for anything of interest to happen in the film. That shows a lot of trust in its audience to hang in there. The absolute key if you are going to structure your film that way is that the pay-off has to be worth it. Sadly this film can't live up to that requirement.

When I read that this was based on a play, that made a lot sense. A very dialogue heavy script with contained settings. Even the strongest plays can struggle to make the transition to film. They just feel so pointlessly limited. It's really noticeable here.

I don't want to savage this film because it doesn't deserve that. It is a bit of a frustrating ride though. The ending is fun and helps to save it a bit but by then the damage is already done. Not one I'd recommend. 5/10.

Worth Watching

[saysjenn · 8/10 · 7 November 2021]

This movie has great actors and the chemistry between them strong. The story is heavy dialogue but it keeps the story on point. This one is a slow build that is worth watching. It really surprises me, which rarely happens with movies.

Pollono directs, writes & acts

[adrianovasconcelos · 7/10 · 12 April 2023]

John Pollono, a complete unknown to me, actually directs, scripts and acts with some distinction in this tale of revenge.

Perhaps it is much too wordy and even a little bit overlong given that not very much happens in terms of physical action. That said, the plot unfolds more subtly that I suspected, given the loud mouths and pugnacious natufre of the middle to lower class of characters - Pollono owns an automobile repair garage and is obviously far from well off, the same going for his close pals. His former wife and mother of his daughter conveys an equally belligerent posture.

I liked the final shot of the film but felt less than convinced about the solution that Pollono and pals found to make their revenge palatable all round.

Plaudits to Pollono for a terrific all-round effort. Jon Bernthal was OK, but I have seen better from him. Shea Wingham does quite well as the more literate of the bunch of alcohol and substance-consuming ignoramuses. Albeit given comparatively small roles in a male-dominated flick, Jordana Spiro and Ciara Bravo post splendid performances.

Cinematography and editing are quite effective.

7/10 - certainly worth watching for anyone with a strong enough stomach.

Takes WAY too long

[LincolnSixEko · 5/10 · 9 February 2022]

You'll sit through 60-70 minutes of "character development" to get to the real meat of the movie. If you can make it through that long, it's a decent movie. But then...it ends kinda abruptly and somewhat unsatisfying.

More of a tragedy that delves into the complicated relationship of friends and loved ones and the power and influence that they can have.

[bryce-41291 · 7/10 · 22 September 2021]

Overall the movie is solid and has more to offer than what the trailer provides. I have not seen the play and am just making this review purely off the movie alone. All of the characters have there interesting qualities that make for interesting interactions between them. The plot at first seems very simplistic but then evolves into this beautiful complex story of what you are willing to do for family and friends and what the implications of that may be. If you are looking a solid independent film with good acting and a great plot I would definitely recommend this film.

Fairly Interesting

[Hooperstribe1961 · 7/10 · 29 October 2021]

The movie kept me interest in what was going to happen, but it took too long to get there. I went into the movie without any preconceptions. Solid 7 scored.

Brilliant performance, solid writing but...

[denghizek · 7/10 · 20 November 2021]

The ending was the most disappointing ending I have ever saw. The other parts were brilliantly written, I was glued to the scren, It's clear that they put some thought in the dialogues. But the ending felt like they didn't put any thought into it. It was like... Will you be a good boy Chad? Yes. Ok bye..... Heh I lied mofos.

This is what I call good drama but...

[PaxD75 · 7/10 · 31 December 2021]

I had some problems with the film that keeps it from hitting a much higher rating:

Friends never put other friends in harm's way. This is a real-world life lesson. Friends can do lots of other stuff but never put friends (or loved ones) in harms way. Enemies do that. Sociopaths do that. Manipulators do that.

Frank tricked his friends into coming over, he got them drunk (to impair their judgment). He finally put them in a situation where they were accomplices to a brutal physical assault with the intention of murder.

He forced his friends to choose, in the briefest of moments (while impaired), between aiding in murder or turning on him (and daughter - which he used as a tool to manipulate them). The fact that they were all cozy friendly afterwards - turned my stomach.

Chad Walker's contrived response: He was first begging for his life. This is a natural response. The moment he thought he had leverage (while still tied up, while still afraid for his life), he became *overly* aggressive. He even called Frank's daughter a wh*re to the man who was going to kill him moments earlier. Seriously?

We can explain this away but it felt forced for the purpose of creating false/contrived drama. Getting out of that situation (promising to walk away and never say anything seemed so much more natural).

Packie's willingness to commit murder (or aid in it) didn't fit his character. Can we forgive this even if he was impaired? (Swaino's response was so much better).

The current rating for this film of 6.7 is about right. Great drama (rating a 9) for the first hour and 20 minutes. Fizzle's out toward the end plus the issues noted above lower my overall rating to 7.

NOT A Tale of Toxic Masculinity

[mrvarney1331 · 8/10 · 11 October 2021]

Read through some of the more negative reviews and a common interpretation emerges; a tale of toxic masculinity.

This is really a story of childhood shared amongst three best friends who eventually grow up to help raise one the three's daughter through tough times.

It's a tale of unwavering support by friends through the darkest days from childhood to adulthood. We all have those friends that would do anything for us and us for them, it's something boys cherish and men hold on to. It's a story of that.

Watch this with an open mind, a sense of dark humor, and some humility; yes, it may offend you at times, but appreciate that some actions change lives forever and that some loyalties run thicker than blood shared but rather blood spilled.

aah! the u-turn

[hadfield11 · 7/10 · 17 November 2021]

A well acted damaged buddy film with a needed and eventual punch in the face.film had the familiar "manchester by the sea","the furnace" grimy new england looser vibe,a been there done that kind of film.

Anti Male pantomime

[anthonyjlangford · 5/10 · 13 September 2021]

This is an anti male film dressed up as a movie about 'real' men.

What starts off as an accurate portrayal of macho working class men, soon becomes unrealistic through its incessant need to show these guys acting at their worst. They stir each other up until someone loses their cool, usually in a violent way, they make up and it happens all over again. It goes on like this throughout the entire movie. They take the worst of human behavior and repeat it endlessly, passing it off as supposed 'toxic masculinity,' a made-up term to denigrate men, as though they have some disease.

Everyone is capable of being an A-hole. Some people are, both male and female while most people aren't. Here, there's little showing the range of emotions that all people have. Sure they laugh, make up but then it's back to the escalation and over the top conduct again. The entire film is stuck in a 5 minute loop.

This came from a play and we all know who the audience is; predominantly the upper middle far-left classes. This wouldn't have even made it to the stage, let alone the screen if it didn't appeal to the anti-male mob. This film will be weaponized to demonize men even further.

The daughter goes from a carbon copy of the men at the beginning to victim pretty quickly. Even the wife, who is supposedly the devil, never shows it. This is how the men see her. So it must be the man's point of view of her, not her actual character. She even becomes a strong force of good by the end. Male bad. Female good.

These guys are caricatures. Even the flashback to the dads in the 80's shows men at their absolute worst. It's true that kids were hit back in the day. I grew up in that period so I fell foul to that too. Not only hit by our fathers, but our mothers, grandparents and teachers too. It wasn't just from men. It was the whole culture.

The writer knows what working class people are like, or a small portion of them, but he's taken the very worst of it to appeal to a certain audience in order to make his career. In today's world, it's the only way to get things made. Yet, even the young guy from the upper classes is an A-hole too. It's laughable by this point. It's more than caricature. It's a farce.

I wanted to like it. I like the actors but after fifteen minutes it was all too ingratiating. Frankly, it was insulting. Don't be fooled. This movie is sexist.

Shame we were the only 2 people in the theater

[piggulu · 9/10 · 12 September 2021]

I didn't know anything about this movie beforehand, only seeing it in the theater list the day before but the trailer seemed decent and I'm a fan of Bernthal. AMC had it listed as a "thriller" instead of "comedy" so that also played a big part into deciding to see it.

Really not much to say other than I thought the drama on point and you really get a good feeling of the character's histories and friendship. It is 100% dialogue heavy so you have to pay attention to get that info, so if that's not your thing then don't bother.

The biggest drawback is that the actual "thriller" part of the story doesn't occur until well after an hour or so and then the movie is over in practically a flash. It's not so bad as everything before it was great but I would've liked to have seen it have a larger role. Plus you can immediately tell what the twist is as soon as a certain character is introduced so the impact doesn't come off strong.

I'm glad I took a chance on this and hope it gets more exposure.

Pretty decent movie

[d_penn · 6/10 · 17 March 2022]

Definitely enjoyed this unique movie. A couple twists and turns along the way that I didn't see coming and some dark but good comedy thrown in. The ending is a defined twist. I KNOW you won't guess the ending.

Awful

[jmcnally100 · 4/10 · 10 September 2021]

I seen this was categorized as a comedy and that it most certainly is not. Unless one of the characters who's overly sensitive nature about his heritage or sexuality is supposed to gain laughs. Or the pointless flashback to his friend and group studs one-night-stand which again isn't funny or in any way helpful to the story nor is referring to the small guy with Irish heritage as a leprechaun who should eat his lucky charms, but that is the level the bar is set humor wise in this movie (along with pretty much every other aspect) very low.

Everything in it is just cliches from somewhere else the spoiled rich kid whose daddy is a lawyer, the macho man out of prison trying to avoid trouble but determined to protect his family, the ladykiller friend who has no other personality trait, the weak nerdy friend who's smarter than the rest but who they bully. The ''twist'' and the whole reason for the movie is telegraphed a mile away and there is certainly no tension built as you already can guess the outcome. It leaves you with a comedy that's not funny and a drama that's.....well not dramatic. Maybe it worked as a stage play but it's an awful movie. 4/10.

some good high

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 5 May 2022]

Terrence Swaino (Jon Bernthal), Patrick 'Packie' Hanrahan (Shea Whigham), and Frank Romanowski (John Pollono) are best friends since childhood. The trio comes from the working class in New England. Frank is struggling to raise daughter Crystal (Ciara Bravo) with baby momma Karen (Jordana Spiro) supposedly in recovery. Terrence and Packie had raised Crystal while Frank was in prison. The trio reunites for nights of drinking and fighting. They join up with small time dealer and rich frat boy Chad Walker (Spencer House). The night spirals and explodes in a big reveal.

This movie meanders around for over half the movie before it explodes into a big crime drama. While I like setting up the tone and the setting, the plot does need to get to a certain place a lot faster. As for the ending, I would have liked for it to go a different way. That has to do with the long setup again. Despite all my reservations, this really elevates the tension when it elevates the tension. The intensity reaches a very high level. There is a very memorable section about Game 6. It does need to tighten the first half and get a darker ending.

a solid piece...

[ops-52535 · 7/10 · 10 October 2021]

Of filmaking, plotmaking and directing and last but not least a perfect playtime.

Its a film about mammaes gone viral, all initiated by a 19 yrs old daddy is a billionaire boy, and the symbolism of eternal friendship is when Dickie Wiener points out a hole in the plan with the help of instagram that may give solace and courage to start living again for the three muskutarian friends and mammaes's mum. So what the h..k happens in this movie i wont tell just say it in entertaining, a inchy bit gory , and filled with a revenge youd never expect.

So eternal friendship from crib to grave is alpha and omega for every humanoid on the planet called earth, you wanna learn how, take the grumpy old mans advice and have a look, supreme and yet unbelieveably basic.