A pair of awkward couples head to a cabin in the middle of nowhere after attending an independent film festival. The indie feature "We Are Naked" has inspired the foursome to believe that they can make a great film on their own with basically the money in their pockets and whatever they can come up with over a few bottles of wine. One of the pairs - Matt (Ross Partridge) and Catherine (Elise Muller) - has been on-and-off for years, and the other features a poor schlub named Chad (Steve Zissis), who is clearly in a state of unrequited love with his friend Michelle (Greta Gerwig). Naturally, these four romantically wounded souls would make perfect subjects for a relationship-driven comedy of errors or, more likely, a deep examination of modern love amidst the often socially awkward world of wannabe creative people. At first, that's exactly what The Duplass Brothers' Baghead feels like. Chad expresses how he finds Michelle amazing. The sweetheart compares him to a brother she never had and puts clips in his hair. Matt expresses his doubts about his creativity and if he can ever make a movie. Catherine tries to get closer to him by asking him to rate her ass. Oh, and then Michelle sees a dude in the woods with a bag on his head. I can't tell you how many times I've wished something like that would happen in other talkative indie dramas.

At first, Michelle assumes it was a drunken dream, but Matt loves the idea, thinking that a killer with a bag on his head is a pretty easy way to go when one wants to make a low-budget horror movie. Catherine isn't too happy that the relationship drama in the woods might turn into The Blair Witch Project, but, before you can say "Book of Shadows," Matt's running around with a paper bag on his head and the gang is drunkenly trying to write a horror movie over a few too many drinks. Brilliantly, the romantic drama that was Baghead turns into a horror movie itself. Yeah, it's some pretty meta stuff, but the result is one of the more interesting releases of the season.

What's so great about Baghead is that it sets the foundation for a traditional relationship drama so perfectly; adding weight to what comes next. The dialogue in the first act sounds (and probably was) improvised, and the foursome feels very real. And what's missing the most from the modern horror movie? Believable characters. The Duplass Brothers' The Puffy Chair was a darling on the indie circuit two years ago, but Baghead marks a step forward for these interesting filmmakers (and that's coming from someone who liked Puffy too). Baghead is an original, confident piece of filmmaking that isn't easily categorized or even summarized. Calling it a horror film is misleading - Saw fans need not apply - but it also feels different than most of the dialogue-driven dramas playing at arthouses this season. I don't want to say much because it's the consistent unpredictability of the piece that makes it an unqualified success. Baghead is about four people who go to a cabin in the woods to make a hit indie film. If there's any karma, the film about them will find the audience it so richly deserves.

Rating: THREE AND A HALF BONES

Reviewed by Brian Tallerico (MovieRetriever.com Film Critic)

Release Date: August 1, 2008

Rating: R

Starring: Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, and Elise Muller

Director: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass

Writers: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass