"Hell Is Other People", the second installment in the Indies for Indies program playing at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont, PA, purports to be an intimate slice of southern slacker lifestyle where everbody's crazy. Crazy may not be the right clinical term. Depressed, delusional or dysfunctional might be better terminology, at least , for someone (beside lead slacker, Morty) who is actually licensed to diagnose those kind of maladies. Because, "Hell", certainly "Is Other People", where movie audiences can see so earnestly how these few characters lead their messed-up but, somehow still mundane lives. 

             This lo-fi American Indie was written & directed by Jarrod Whaley and capably stars Richard Johnson, as Morty. A well-realized relief of an eccentric, unskilled main character (and his friends) during the current recessionary time period. So unskilled , he can't maintain a job, a home or a love life. He even wants to start running some kind of psychiatric business out of his jeep, parked in a liquor store parking lot. Although appearing unbalanced, he shrewdly weasels out on his own medical bills.

           To top that off, Morty's friends may be even more unstable than he seems. One is a small-time musician, who isn't even allowed to perform on stage with his band. Second, a ditzy girlfriend of his ex, who will loan Morty money, but doesn't pay for favors. Third, a drug-dealing elder who makes Morty pay for everything they do together, like the weed they smoke or the movies they watch. And that's not even mentioning the performance artist that Mort works for on the side, who can only pay him in nude photos of himself. 

            The only character who seems to have their head on straight (and employed) is Mort's ex-girlfriend, Andy, believably played by Rebecca Allen. A book-store clerk and sister of the musician, whose own cathartic piano-playing sometimes help to narrate or drive these entertaining  proceedings.

           With its laid back Docu-Drama style, about  themes of social interaction and suburban isolation, it really seems like a Reality TV Show, similar to say, Bravo's "Hoarders"  or "Intervention", expanded past its usual hour length. Deft portrait of morally decaying figures surrounded by that same urban decay in the rundown South.

        An added bonus to the Indies for Indies program was the short "Out Of Sync", which preceeded the main feature. An experimental Dutch feature about a couple's supposed break-up that has the dialogue not synced-up properly with what is shown on screen. Smart, reminding one of the sensation of watching one show while overhearing the same show telecast from another room. 

        Both worthy entries in curator Lucas McNelly's Indies for Indies series, that will be playing the Hollywood Theater  on Monday, March 15th at 7 PM or Tuesday, March 16th at 9:30 PM. See Whaley's film website for future details about this interesting little picture or its well-received reviews. Also, anyone can contact Lucas McNelly's Facebook page for further updates, info and chat about these incredibly hip, new Pittsburgh premieres. And while Indies for Indies lasts, please attend!