"GLOB LESSONS" // TRIBECA 2021
Real life friends Nicole Rodenburg and Colin Froeber grew up together in North Dakota and bonded over their love of the arts, specifically theatre. So, the duo decided to make a movie about it. GLOB LESSONS stars both of them as actors traveling the Midwest on a low-rent children's theatre tour. Though they may be friends in real life, they definitely don't start out that way on screen. Barely talking between shows, Jesse (Rodenburg) and Alan (Froeber) are on the tour for different reasons, though it's definitely not the dream job either one of them have waited for. They perform two plays together for school after school, mostly to completely uninterested kids (and some over enthusiastic teachers) yet basically exist in their own loneliness bubbles until the madness of the tour finally pushes them together and they both open up.
They both know that the tour isn't going well (and for anyone who has been on a tour like this, or even remember seeing a tour come through your school like this, you 1000% sympathize), so they decide to switch up the script. They re-write them to be more relevant, to be something that the kids will enjoy. As the school performances begin to improve, so does their tour experience, as well as their friendship. Rodenburg and Froeber both deliver sharp, sarcastic performances and are also able to expertly switch from the absurd comedy to the weighted drama with a poignant urgency. Froeber is great, taking his "mostly closeted" gay character on a journey of self-fulfillment and it's a joy to see him find a real connection with Jesse. As Jesse, Rodenburg is wonderful as well, adding believability and charm to the lost soul character. The awkward title of GLOB LESSONS fits very well into the awkwardness of the acid-laced humor found within and it's a joy to watch these two real life friends bond and come together in this winning indie.
GRADE: B+
WRITTEN BY Colin Froeber, Nicole Rodenburg DIRECTED BY Nicole Rodenburg STARRING Nicole Rodenburg, Colin Froeber, Edmund Donovan. SELECTED AS PART OF THE 2021 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL. FOR MORE INFO: GLOB LESSONS