STAFF PICK: Raging Midlife
By Leah Rosenberger – Conference Coordinator
I will never be a middle-aged man, but my staff pick from this year’s Austin Film Festival lineup is Raging Midlife. I am merely a quarter-aged woman, but I had a blast watching this flick! If Superbad’s Evan and Seth grew up to be a lawyer and his criminal best friend, chained in their toxic friendship and encouraging one another’s arrested development forevermore, you’d have Raging Midlife’s leading friends, Alex and Mark.
As you might guess if you know me, I was initially interested in this movie because of Paula Abdul. I’m a pop girly through and through. I loved her in Robots! Abdul plays the manager of wrestler Raging Abe and the boys’ eternal crush, and she steals every scene she’s in. Her 80s get-up was amazing, and I immediately had to listen to “Vibeology” after the credits rolled.
Speaking of 80s nostalgia, writers Nic Costa and Rob Taylor tap into the trend with their genuine and hilarious perspectives on boyhood, friendship, and coming of age. And you know, wrestling is really having a renaissance in film and television right now. First, The Iron Claw delved into the somber truth of iconic wrestling heels, now Raging Midlife highlights the youthfulness and absurdity of the sport – watch this space!
Raging Midlife is a total romp, packed with both physical gags and heart. After the long days of bumping elbows with industry leaders and attending our programming of thought-provoking Conference panels, go ahead and take a load off, sit back with a big Slurpee, and see the “feel good” comedy of the AFF season. Fellas, let’s get ready to rage.
Raging Midlife
(USA, 97 MIN)
Writer: Nic Costa, Rob Taylor
Director: Rob Taylor
Cast: Paula Abdul, Eddie Griffin, Walter Koenig, Judy Levitt, Nic Costa, Matt Zak, Darrielle Mason, Bryna Smith, Emily Sweet, Rob Taylor
Two friends embark on a thrilling and comical heist spree to retrieve a tank top worn by their 80s wrestling hero “Raging Abraham Lincoln” after a grieving daughter outbids them to satisfy her father’s dying wish.
Make sure you catch one of two showings of Raging Midlife while at AFF:
Saturday, October 26 10:15PM – Galaxy Theatre 5
Thursday, October 31 5:00PM – Rollins Theatre at the Long Center