[rating=8.00]
I had a very specific expectation going into Brave New Jersey based solely on the cast roster. It was filled with contemporary comedy icons like Tony Hale, Dan Bakkedahl, Anna Camp, and Mel Rodriguez, and it was set during the night of Orson Welles’ notorious War of the Worlds broadcast on October 30th, 1938. Knowing nothing but that, when it made its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival last week, I was full-on expecting a screwball comedy.
That’s not to say that Brave New Jersey doesn’t have laugh-out-loud moments (it has quite a few), but what co-writer/director Jody Lambert has done is craft a sincere, affecting portrayal of a small town caught in the throws of panic.
Hale stars as Clark Hill, the put-upon Mayor of the fictional town of Lullaby, a small dairy community set near Grover’s Mill, where where the Martians first landed in Welles’ broadcast. While he’s more known for supporting roles, Hale proves he has the likable charisma to pull off one more central. His chemistry with Heather Burns, who plays the subtly dispirited Lorraine, helps lay the groundwork for the movie’s endearing tone. These are characters you genuinely end up caring about, and their panicked reaction to what they hear on the radio isn’t played for any kind of cheap punchline. Okay it’s not played for that many cheap punchlines, and the ones that are there are easy enough to imagine yourself in.
Rounding out the ensemble cast is Camp as Peg, the town’s schoolteacher, and her well-meaning love interest, Chardy, played by Matt Odell. Rodriguez gets some of the film’s best one-liners and Sheriff Dandy, and Bakkedahl absolutely shines as the Ray Rogers, the town’s half-hearted preacher who has a completely different perspective on what an alien invasion could mean for everyone.
There’s also something reminiscent of an old episode of The Twilight Zone or Amazing Stories, but filtered through a distinctly optimistic lens. While all this starts with an assumed alien invasion, it’s how the townspeople react that reveals their characters and really drives at the heart the story, all of which ends up having a much bigger impact on the town than would’ve been expected.
It’s the quintessential ‘panic brings out who we really are’ parable, but with a very distinct, desaturated charm that almost feels like something a small town’s community theater would put on as a play. Reminiscent of the time in which its set, and devoid of any sense of cynicism, Lambert and his abundantly talented cast have crafted a delightfully lighthearted caper that will leave you grinning ear-to-ear by the time it’s over.
