"Alive and Lubricated" is an independent comedy by Canadian-based filmmakers, Jason and Brett Butler. Substance Production is the name of their company and this was their first feature film. I was fortunate enough to see "Alive and Lubricated" since it is now available on DVD. Shot in black and white and filled with impertinent characters who talk about sex and drink tons of beer, "Alive and Lubricated" is a cross between Kevin Smith's "Clerks" and Edward Burns' "Sidewalks of New York." The movie is coarse, straightforward, and it doesn’t pretend to be about something else. This is a movie about guys who are all good friends. Their discussions are never formal and they continuously analyze women as if a secondary species. But rude as can be “Alive and Lubricated” is charming in its own special way. There is a moment where Ben (Craig Greenham), one of the central characters, explains how he failed to win over a girl who seemed interested in him. He concludes, “What are you going to do. Even the Leafs lose from time to time.” Then there is Dickey (Jason Butler), a video clerk, who confronts his ex-girlfriend Rachael (Lena Morris). She wants to rekindle the love they once had. Dickey says, “I don’t think anyone chooses to dance with the devil a second time.” Rachael fires back, “You didn’t seem to think I was the devil when we were going out.”
Notice the use of the past tense throughout the entire film. “Alive and Lubricated” focuses on the notion of reminiscence. Ben is the one who believes he knows the ladies. He explains that sex comes with a price: freedom from compromise. He then goes on to describe compromise as the single most evil word invented by women in an effort to break down the camaraderie men share and women desperately desire. Funny. There is also an indirect joke made about genre sections in video stores. Ben asks Dickey where Shannon Tweed’s movies are placed. “Thriller section”, answers Dickey. Ben, surprised, asks, “Thrillers?” Dickey quickly retorts, “Sure man. She thrills.” Great answer.
However, there is a downside to “Alive and Lubricated.” It incorporates three ineffective scenes which never quite feel like they belong in this movie. One sequence shows each of the main characters literally stepping up to a plate in baseball outfits and swinging away. Is this an attempt to highlight the concept of “scoring” with women? Is it supposed to be humorous? The characters often use baseball metaphors when conversing about women and that works well. The actual baseball sequence though does not. The other useless moments involve a pizza delivery boy and an improbable reaction from Dickey who discovers that Ben has had sex with his ex-girlfriend. These are scenes that should’ve ended up on the cutting room floor. Sometimes less really is more. Despite those negative segments, “Alive and Lubricated” is an acceptable first effort. It is likable and demands little from its viewers. I enjoyed the performances and found the characters to be quite convincing (except for the one reaction from Dickey). The dialogue is not essentially common but expected and fitting here. “Alive and Lubricated” is distinct and succeeds primarily because it is candid.