Things to Do

The format is rapidly becoming a familiar one. A la Garden State, an angst-ridden twentysomething heads back to his hometown, rediscovers old pleasures, reconnects with old friends, meets new ones, and basically uses this nostalgia as an implement for self-discovery. In the case of Adam (Michael Stasko, who also co-wrote the script), he was an apparently unpopular nobody in high school, but his friends who never got out of the 'burbs haven't fared much better. He settles in for a lazy summer by the pool, but a meeting with old acquaintance Mac (Daniel Wilson) launches him into a more adventurous couple of months. Their goal: Make of list of "things to do" and then get them done. It ain't rocket science: Sky-diving, building a downhill derby car... that sort of thing. Adam and Mac go through the list over the rest of the summer, wryly passing the time in oddly coming fashion.

While Stasko has the look of a pre-buff Mark Wahlberg, he's a little gun shy in front of the camera, coming off a lot like a deer caught in the headlines. But the hyper-energetic Wilson saves the day on more than one occasion, spinning some well-worn scenarios into comic gold, often at the expense of his dignity and/or clothing. An obvious low-budget affair, director Ted Bezaire does magic behind the camera, turning in a funny and nuanced work that makes you long for a summer spent in your childhood bedroom, cruising the suburban streets to see if you can spot any of your old friends.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for recent nostalgia, but while Things to Do may not be exactly challenging in its construction or themes, it's at least a pleasant time that'll put a smile on your face more than once.

The DVD includes a making-of featurette and a commentary track.