Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2020
Drunk Bus
Buy Drunk Bus now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = Drunk Bus
| image = DrunkBusPoster.jpeg
| alt =
| caption = Promotional poster
| director =
| producers =
| writers = Chris Molinaro
| story =
| starring =
| music =
| cinematography = Luke McCoubrey
| editing = Taylor Levy
| studio =
| distributor = FilmRise
| released =
| runtime = 101 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'Drunk Bus' is a 2020 American comedy-drama film directed by John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke and starring Charlie Tahan and Kara Hayward. It is Carlucci and LaGanke's directorial debut. The film was released on May 20, 2021, and received positive reviews from critics.
Premise
A mid-20s bus driver starts to have a new outlook on life after getting dumped and meeting a strange new friend who pushes him out of his comfort zone.
Cast
*Charlie Tahan as Michael, a 20-something driver of a drunk bus
*Kara Hayward as Kat, Michael's friend
*Pineapple Tangaroa as Pineapple, a bodyguard hired for Michael's bus after an altercation.
*Zach Cherry as Josh, Michael's lazy roommate
*Sarah Mezzanotte as Amy, Michael's ex-girlfriend
*Dave Hill as Devo Ted, a drug dealer
*Tonatiuh Elizarraraz as Justin
*Martin Pfefferkorn as FU Bob, an elderly passenger Michael helps.
*Frank Iero as Hank Hero
*Joe Napier as Justin's boyfriend
* Dresden Engle as Bus Driver
* Will Forte as Fred, Michael's boss at the depot (uncredited)
Production
Carlucci and LaGanke originally wanted to shoot the film in Kent, Ohio, where they are from, but were convinced by producer Eric Hollenbeck, a native of Elmira, New York, that Rochester, New York would be a cheaper option with a similar aesthetic. Principal photography began on March 1, 2019 in Rochester, and wrapped on March 18.
Release
The film was to have made its worldwide premiere at South by Southwest in March 2020. However, the SXSW Festival was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, thus postponing the premiere of 'Drunk Bus'. On October 15, 2020, the film premiered at the San Diego International Film Festival.
In January 2021, FilmRise acquired North American distribution rights to the film.
Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critics consensus reads, "Fueled by a blend of rowdy comedy and poignant drama, 'Drunk Bus' takes audiences on an uncommonly rewarding coming-of-age journey." According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 65 out of 100 based on 11 critics, the film received "generally favorable reviews".
Sandy Schaefer of Screen Rant awarded the film three stars out of five, saying: "Thanks to its charming cast and even-handed blend of laughs and drama, 'Drunk Bus' generally succeeds in putting a fresh spin on its familiar story."
Accolades
'Drunk Bus' won the Best Narrative Feature Award from both the Jury and the Audience at the 2020 San Diego International Film Festival.References
Buy Drunk Bus now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 2020