College seems to be teeming with possibility, in a more substantial way than adulthood or high school feels, since for many people, it’s the only time where one lives alone and makes decisions for their lives selfishly. Shithouse captures that moment with a candid sentimentality, all marked by a shared late night that changes the way the whole college life feels. Cooper Raiff captures this time of a freshman uncertainty with actual palpable emotions, acting, writing, and directing with a freshness that filmmakers aspire to but never seem to get on screen, and it’s this mumblecore-inspired feature debut that made him a filmmaker to look out for. Shithouse is pure college nostalgia.
Synopsis
Lonely college freshman Alex has closed himself off from his peers, who all appear to have this whole "college thing" figured out. But everything changes one night when Alex takes a leap and attends a party at Shithouse - a legendary party fraternity - where he forges a strong connection with Maggie.
Storyline
Closed off from his peers, lonely college freshman Alex takes a leap and attends a college party at a party fraternity house, where he forges a connection with Maggie.
TLDR
Aww, this made me miss college. Wishing everyone I met at the time a good day today.
What stands out
The thing about these talky, early adulthood romcoms is that they tend to primarily focus on the protagonist, sometimes at the expense of the love interest’s character. Maggie feels like a real person, with a real background, all made real through Dylan Gelula’s performance.
