Puddle Cruiser (1996)

"Puddle Cruiser" is a very funny movie, and it surprised me how good it was when I saw it. I saw the movie recently after seeing Broken Lizards other three more recent and more popular movies. There was the hilarious "Super Troopers" (2001), the not-quite-as-funny follow-up "Club Dread"(2004), and the redeemingly funny "Beerfest" (2006).One of my friends had a DVD copy of "Puddle Cruiser" which had the cover art stating "From the guys who brought you 'Super Troopers'". I read the description on the back and thought that because this movie takes place on a college campus, it could be either really good, or really bad.One problem with movie comedies that take place in college is that it seems as though the movie makers want to make another "Animal House". Hence, they inundate the movie with binge drinking, dumb frat guys with no apparent study habits or visible means of income, bikini-clad girls with similar ambitions, and the tired misconception that college is one big 24-hour orgy. Mind you "Animal House" was a great movie, and one of the Top 10 best comedies of the last 50 years. However, when other filmmakers try to top the "Animal House" antics with outrageous stunts, they forget one main ingredient: actual genuine humor.Fortunately, to Broken Lizard's credit, they made here a smart college movie with absolutely no ambition to be the next "Animal House". They made a college comedy on their own terms, and the results are surprisingly good.The characters in the film are well developed and often times appealing, even when they're dislikeable (the character of Traci Shannon comes particularly to mind here). They're also memorable with a slew of unforgettable lines. My personal favorite characters include Freaky Reaky (Erik Stolhanske), the mailroom worker who talks like a late night DJ, and Emily (Alison Clapp), the hottie's best friend who really sells each scene she's in. It's surprising that this movie is Clapp's only movie credit to date. All the performances are relatively consistent, and that's rare for a movie made by first timers.The scene at the end is probably the best, when the big rugby match is about to be played. Not only does it start out very funny with a scene that deliberately spoofs "Spartacus" (1960), but the game commences in a very unpredictable way. It still has me laughing weeks after seeing it.What differentiates this film from "Super Troopers" is the fact that the humor is very deadpan. There isn't as many visual gags, nor is there as much swearing, as in Broken Lizard's breakthrough cult hit. It also seems as though each member of Broken Lizard takes turns in each movie playing the straight man and the funny man. The character Steve Lemme plays in "Puddle Cruiser" is mild mannered, likable, and slightly naive, far different from the slightly dumb risk taker he later played in "Super Troopers". I could go on forever with comparisons between the two movies, but the films should really be watched side by side because they are funny differently, but equally.Regardless of whether you've seen "Super Troopers" already, this film is worth checking out. I'm not sure its cult status, but it deserves to be recognized for the incredibly funny movie it is. I highly recommend it.

Alright, all of you who badmouth both this and Supertroopers really need to quiet down. This movie was made five years before Supertroopers, and it shows. The guys were in college, so they weren't quite as on target as they were later on, however I enjoyed this movie as much as both of the other two. People always use Supertroopers as a bar for these guys to be measured by, but that's not fair, Club Dread was in no way similar to Supertroopers, it was a completely different set up, so don't compare them. Same goes for Puddle Cruiser, different set up, they can't be looked at side by side. Overall, I'd give any Broken Lizard movie a chance, they guys are hilarious, and the best part is that every time you watch the movie, it gets funnier. Not many can do that today, and there are a lot of movies that try.If you want to be a real fan of Supertroopers, watch Puddle Cruiser, and see if you can recognize your beloved Vermont highway patrol officers beginning to take shape.

Super Troopers was an instant classic. Club Dread, while disappointing to many, had its moments. Puddle Cruisers has fewer moments. I saw this movie on the shelf of my local video store and saw at the bottom that it was made by the Broken Lizard group who made Super Troopers, so naturally I picked it up. I only found one scene to be laugh out loud funny. A far cry from Super Troopers. All in all, I was very disappointed. I would not recommend this to anyone, unless you have an abundance of free time, and really need to kill some time. However, you're better off playing video games, or watching something that might make you laugh or think.

This flick highlights the comedic skills of the broken lizard troop and is a must see for any fan. It is my personal favorite of the three films the troupe has made and it is every bit as funny as Super Troopers if not more so. Steve Lemme is excellent as the romantic lead a different role than he has played in the other films. Erik Stolhanske is also incredibly funny as the trippy Freaky Reaky. The story is simple, but the writing fully makes up for it. It is incredibly dialogue driven and original. An excellent debut film and it must be noted that without they probably wouldn't have been able to make Super Trooper so all of their fans owe a big debt of gratitude to this little scene indy.