Steele Wool

At its worst, indie filmmaking is a cheaper form of Hollywood vanilla without the professional backbone. But at its best, it runs wherever it wants to, unshackled by box office and tastemaker expectations. That's where we find ourselves with the terrifically engaging and uniquely obtuse "Steele Wool." While the film's descriptors allude to a comedic darkness, there's a warmth here that permeates throughout its richly conceived characters and consistently surprising scenes which cut again clinical expectations in the most ambitious of ways. The female lead here is particularly fascinating, and the the male lead holds serve in a way that empowers her to most fully shine. Like a "Napoleon Dynamite," for example, it's tough to explain "Steele Wool" to the inevitably confused person next to you at the pub. Except for the fact that its resolute uniqueness makes it difficult to conjure comparables. All the more reason this film warrants your invested attention.

Actually pretty funny