Though it’s known as the music capital of the world, Austin, Texas, has also been a haven for independent filmmakers ever since Tobe Hooper handed Leatherface his iconic chainsaw. Later, director Richard Linklater cemented the city’s cinematic reputation with cult favorite ATX indies Slacker and Dazed and Confused. Since then, the Texas capital has been a continual hotbed for artists and their projects.
Among the recent crop of ATX-produced films, two in particular stand out. In Marissa Macy’s Easy Digging, a man on a mission to dig a hole into China in his backyard gets way more drama than he bargains for. In The Tale Of Texas Pool, director Kevin Welling aims his camera at the legendary Austin billiards scene.
EASY DIGGING
Introduction
Mockumentary filmmaking is a perfect vehicle for hilarious comedic content. From Christopher Guest classics like Waiting For Guffman or Best In Show to television series like The Office and Parks and Recreation, verité entertainment is fertile ground for big laughs.
Furthermore, the typical run-and-gun style of the genre also lends itself to smaller-budget filmmaking thanks to an inherent natural aesthetic. The authentic vibe of these projects also allows directors to embrace unknown talent in a way that their bigger-budget cousins often cannot. In the new mockumentary, Easy Digging all of these attributes collide to form a hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt story with dialogue that is entirely improvised.
Synopsis
Ed Brown is a downtrodden middle-ager looking for a new lease on life. Following his divorce as well as the death of his best friend, Juicebox Joey, Ed decides to rekindle a childhood dream. He wants to dig a hole to China. In all seriousness, a grown man thinks he can dig himself to China with a shovel in mere days.
While many colorful characters in Ed’s circles call shenanigans on his ludicrous brainchild, a legion of loyal followers embrace his ridiculous scheme nonetheless. Among these fans, renowned business wunderkind, “Chette,” takes Ed under their wing and sponsors his endeavor. Before long, his plight goes viral and he gets caught in the grind of the online hype machine. Now Ed must face the reasons he is so hellbent on literally digging himself into a hole.
Discussion
In Easy Digging, director Marissa Macy concocts an absurdly silly story and makes you take it seriously. While the audience and everyone else on earth is fully aware that digging a hole to China is impossible, Macy’s protagonist can suspend disbelief in a way that makes you think that maybe he really can do it in this universe.
While Ed’s shy and nervous countenance certainly makes for a sympathetic straight-man, it’s the enormous ensemble of silly supporting players that make the film tickle the funny bone.
Busy body neighbors, a shoveling trainer, sensationalist newscasters, and cliche FBI agents are just a few examples in the parade of personalities in and out of Ed’s orbit. The combination of his misguided determination along with the crescendoing antics of the supporting characters results in a clever and often hilarious journey.
Additional Elements
In addition to the straight docu-style interview and fly-on-the-wall footage, director Marissa Macy also utilizes social media montages throughout the film. Reaction videos, posts, comments, and live commentary from countless online followers help flesh out the story and also further rationalize Ed’s crazy endeavor.
Several dramatic news segments also keep the story moving. These entertaining sequences not only break up the faux doc element, they also enable the director to feature even more ridiculous supporting character moments.
Aside from all the humorous improvised moments in Easy Digging, the heart of the film is about coping with loss. Narratives about the loss of Ed’s friend as well as his marriage both offer the story a few ironic laughs. But later heavier moments reveal an unexpected depth and emotion that levels out the blatant silliness of the story. The fact that these serious moments too are improvised is a marvel and further confirmation of the talent Macy has corralled.
Performances
As Ed, Phillip Andrew Johnson makes his screen debut with a heartbreakingly authentic performance. Johnson, who also produces Easy Digging, plays Ed’s brand of doltishness with more “ah shucks” than the kind of crazy such a premise might evoke. This gentle take on the character helps keep him sympathetic despite his delusions of grandeur.
The expansive ensemble cast has many notable performances. Mollie Kirby as Karen (pronounced “Karn” with a heavy Minnesota accent) is an absolute hoot as the classic nosy neighbor. Stephanie Vasquez Fonseca expertly channels cringy Oprah/Elon Musk vibes as tastemaker Chette. And Trent Thomson brings big laughs in flashback sequences as Ed’s late bestie Juicebox Joey. And the list goes on and on in a story rife with witty bits and callbacks throughout.
Conclusion
All in all, Easy Digging is a fun and heartwarming story about rekindling wonder in life. It’s about shaking off the trials and tribulations while also facing the past trauma that got you there. All this on a shoestring budget with a highly entertaining story and cast. No word yet on distribution for the micro indie, but a release on major streamers next year is part of that plan according to Macy. So keep an eye out for Easy Digging on a streaming platform near you.
THE TALE OF TEXAS POOL
Introduction
There’s billiards and then there’s Texas billiards. In the high-stakes world of professional pool, the Lone Star State has a reputation for having the cream of the crop among competitors. In addition to that notoriety, Austin boasts the longest-running 9-Ball tournament in the United States.
As a motley crew of green felt impresarios passed in and out of the capital city over the decades, the stories and legacies of these local titans have never been recorded. Until now. Enter documentarian Kevin Welling and his love letter to the vibrant history of a legendary scene in a mostly unsung sport.
Synopsis
Welling opens The Tale Of Texas Pool as the staff of Skinny Bob’s Billiards readies the hall in preparation for the annual Texas Open tournament. Footage of pool tables being carefully vacuumed demonstrates the importance of these events for the players as well as the loyal followers. From bar prep early in the day on through to a busy house full of spectators later during competition, Welling captures the energy of the precision sport.
From here, the director introduces the history of the Texas Open through various interviews with players and champions, both past and current. As the new guard pays homage to their mentors, the old hustlers provide the colorful stories that pool hall legends are made of.
Analysis
Lucky for us, some of these characters are alive, well, and more than happy to share memories of their heydays. Just the nicknames for some of these players deserve a chapter all their own. Monikers like Showboat Joe, Lizard Smith, Checkbook George, Buddy Hall, and Machine Gun Lou are peppered throughout the endless tales.
Though not a ton of footage exists from the old days, Welling utilizes a trove of vintage images that practically smell like the smoke-filled venues of the day. In another break from the interviews, commentary from billiards historian R.A. Dyer appears alongside artistic renderings of the game dating back to the founding fathers. From Mexican emperors to Judge Roy Bean, the provenance of Texas billiards is well-established.
Further Discussion
The Tale Of Texas Pool is an exhaustive oral history of a small but important group of players in the sport. While some of the stories might be too esoteric for the casual viewer, the importance of each legend is not lost. Welling offers a few definitions for some of the table slang. Other intricacies of the game speak is like a foreign language.
Some will delight in the minutiae of the expansive accounts. Others may be wishing for a more definitive narrative thread. As a fan/filmmaker, it’s hard to know when to cut the extraneous gems, and Welling has decided to go all in with a 1:42 running time chock full of storytime. Fans of evocative and esoteric sports docs will be able to look past the indulgence. But at its heart, The Tale Of Texas Pool is a film for true billiards fans who will happily sit through ten minutes of additional interview outtakes over the end credits.
Conclusion
Present-day narratives do help buoy the lengthy film. The establishment of a Texas Billiards Hall Of Fame as well as the emotionally charged comeback of a local player save the film from complete talking head doldrums.
Is there a legendary pool scene in every city? Probably. However, self-proclaimed hustler Lizard Smith won the California Open 3 times and never once cracked the Lone Star State. Yet another true testament to the significance of Texas billiards in this fascinating sports doc. The Tale of Texas Pool is being released through on-demand streaming services Amazon and Apple TV on Christmas 2024.
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