Rock Steady Row, Movie Review

In the not so distant future in a slightly altered reality the students at Rock Steady University have an issue with the last two remaining fraternities and their monopoly on bikes. The premise might sound a little odd, because it’s supposed to. Rock Steady Row is a parody that adds a sharp edge of outlandish humor to make its point about current social issues.

I saw a screening of Rock Steady Row at the 2018 FilmQuest Film Festival (website). You can also find additional information about Rock Steady Row on Internet Movie Database (IMDb link).

Plot Summary

The future is a dark place for college students. Tuition rates have continued to rise and the university system has taken advantage of the situation to their benefit. Rock Steady University is one such place.

Rock Steady is rundown and caters to generating money for the college without care for the students. This has led to the campus being controlled by the two remaining Greek houses, fraternities, in a gangland scenario.

Leroy, a freshman, on his first day on campus has his bike stolen. (This is a drastic situation because never in the movie is a car seen, or even hinted at.) The bike is stolen by one of the two remaining fraternities and the college administration is unwilling to do anything to help Leroy.

 

Leroy learns the frat houses both operate a theft ring that steals bikes and then sells them back to the students, with a cut going to the dean. It is up to Leroy to recover his bike. And, in turn, bring down the corrupt system.

This leads to having to deal with the heads of the two houses, Andrew Palmer and Augustus Washington III, and their cronies. But he has the help of Piper, the writer/editor of the campus newspaper—she knows the truth and nobody believes her.

Cast

The characters in Rock Steady Row are over-the-top archetypes from college movies. There are strong performances throughout and the interplay makes this a fun film. At FilmQuest Rock Steady Row was nominated for Best Ensemble Cast.

Singular performances were also nominated, and those who were not acknowledged with a nomination portrayed their characters with such flare they give the scenes humor and vitality. Here are the main characters.

The hero, Leroy, is played by Heston Horwin (IMDb link) and was nominated for Best Actor. The naive freshman who doesn’t understand the rules of the game everyone else is playing by. Therefore, he takes on the system to right the wrongs forced on the students and controlled by the frat leaders.

Andrew Palmer is the leader and original thief of Leroy’s bike. Andrew is played by Logan Huffman (IMDb link) and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. He is the gang leader who carries sharpened number two pencils in a wristband that he can throw with deadly precision. The knife sound effects associated with his pencils made me chuckle during the film.

 

On the other side, Augustus Washington III is played by Isaac Alisma (IMDb link). Instead of pencils Augustus uses a needle hidden in his glasses.

Diamond White (IMDb link) plays Piper and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Here is the reporter who still uses a manual typewriter and a camera loaded with film.

FilmQuest Cthulhu Awards

Rock Steady Rowreceived 10 nominations at FilmQuest. Along with those listed with the cast above the movie had the following areas of noted quality.

Best Director – Trevor Stevens (IMDb link)

Best Screenplay – Bomani Story (IMDb link)

Best Supporting Actress – Diamond White (IMDb link)

Best Cinematography Nico Aguilar (IMDb link)

Best Editing Jordan Kevin Allen (IMDb link)

Best Score Joshua Mosley (IMDb link)

Best Visual Effects Jordan Kevin Allen (IMDb link)

 

Overall

Rock Steady Row is for a select audience that is looking for a unique movie that has social commentary that can demonstrate issues in a humorous way. Don’t take this movie seriously for the story on its own, it goes with the satire.

I enjoyed Rock Steady Row. The mirror it turns back on the events happening in our world provide one of those “What could be the worst thing to happen if...” scenarios.

Like other satirical movies of this ilk, I see Rock Steady Row becoming an underground classic shared in small theaters on campuses across the country.

I give Rock Steady Row3 ½ out of 5.

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