Drunk Bus is a low-budget indie movie set in 2006 that tells the tale of Michael, a directionless college kid who spends his nights commandeering Kent State’s titular late-night loop transport. The work is monotonous, driving the same route over and over again, picking up and dropping off a motley crew of wasted coeds and a cantankerous retired professor who goes by the moniker Fuck You Bob.
Michael’s got no dreams, no aspirations, no girlfriend and not much happening for him until a rough interaction with a belligerent passenger sparks the need for the bus system to hire a security guard. That guard comes in the form of Pineapple, a heavily tattooed, imposing Samoan man who slowly becomes something of a friend and mentor to Michael.
I’ll admit, as a whole this was unpolished. The writing in particular was incredibly cringey in several places, particularly whenever any characters began talking about the topic of sex, but for the most part this was a surprisingly endearing dramedy with relatable characters, good needle-drops, indescribable art pieces, and a lot of heart.
I’ve had this one on my watchlist for what feels like forever, solely because I knew it contained some sort of cameo from Frank Iero, rhythm guitarist from my favorite band My Chemical Romance. After finally watching it, I can say that his small but memorable turn as fictional rocker Hank Hero was everything I ever could have wanted and more. I nearly peed myself laughing so hard over his antics. Chef’s kiss, 10/10, he did New Jersey proud.
But even more bemusing to me was the fact that I was actually pierced by Pineapple (who goes by that name in real life as well) at one of his Austin studios when I was in college. He did my septum piercing late one night in October and was extremely mellow and nice about it. I still have his “Keep Austin Modified” business card in a box of my college stuff, and I laughed out loud to see that they had produced an in-universe “Keep Kent Modified” version of it for use in the movie.
I did not find this out until after I finished watching, but apparently much of the plot of Drunk Bus is based on co-director Brandon LeGanke and Pineapple’s lived experiences working as an actual Kent State campus loop driver and security guard, respectively, in the early 2000s. I think learning that information made me like the movie even more, honestly. It feels like this particular breed of indie burnout films has largely died out these days, so to find one as genuine and rough-around-the-edges as this felt pretty gratifying.
Drunk Bus is a low-budget indie movie set in 2006 that tells the tale of Michael, a directionless college kid who spends his nights commandeering Kent State’s titular late-night loop transport. The work is monotonous, driving the same route over and over again, picking up and dropping off a motley crew of wasted coeds and a cantankerous retired professor who goes by the moniker Fuck You Bob.
Michael’s got no dreams, no aspirations, no girlfriend and not much happening for him until a rough interaction with a belligerent passenger sparks the need for the bus system to hire a security guard. That guard comes in the form of Pineapple, a heavily tattooed, imposing Samoan man who slowly becomes something of a friend and mentor to Michael.
I’ll admit, as a whole this was unpolished. The writing in particular was incredibly cringey in several places, particularly whenever any characters began talking about the topic of sex, but for the most part this was a surprisingly endearing dramedy with relatable characters, good needle-drops, indescribable art pieces, and a lot of heart.
I’ve had this one on my watchlist for what feels like forever, solely because I knew it contained some sort of cameo from Frank Iero, rhythm guitarist from my favorite band My Chemical Romance. After finally watching it, I can say that his small but memorable turn as fictional rocker Hank Hero was everything I ever could have wanted and more. I nearly peed myself laughing so hard over his antics. Chef’s kiss, 10/10, he did New Jersey proud.
But even more bemusing to me was the fact that I was actually pierced by Pineapple (who goes by that name in real life as well) at one of his Austin studios when I was in college. He did my septum piercing late one night in October and was extremely mellow and nice about it. I still have his “Keep Austin Modified” business card in a box of my college stuff, and I laughed out loud to see that they had produced an in-universe “Keep Kent Modified” version of it for use in the movie.
I did not find this out until after I finished watching, but apparently much of the plot of Drunk Bus is based on co-director Brandon LeGanke and Pineapple’s lived experiences working as an actual Kent State campus loop driver and security guard, respectively, in the early 2000s. I think learning that information made me like the movie even more, honestly. It feels like this particular breed of indie burnout films has largely died out these days, so to find one as genuine and rough-around-the-edges as this felt pretty gratifying.
