"Entertaining and honest."

There's something inherently funny about carnivals. Whether it's the abundance of clowns, the games, the rides, the freak shows, the magic shows, or the carnies themselves, you throw them in a movie and there's almost an instantaneous chuckle or two to be had. That, or they're terrifying as hell. But in the case of Splinterheads, it's all fun and games, giving us a glimpse at a class of carnies known as "splinterheads" that we rarely hear about, as well as the usual suspects of carnival workers, faux magicians, and "freaks" like The Oldest Man Alive! There's also a quirky slacker, his bizarre yet totally awesome friend, and a smokin' hot love interest to tell us a story about how to live life, fight for love, and teach us that if you repeatedly ask others for a threesome, your dreams will come true.

Justin (Thomas Middleditch) lives an exquisitely mundane life. In his early 20s, he's still living with his mom (Lea Thompson), works for his best friend's landscaping business (i.e., he mows lawns), and the only exciting thing in his life right now is the new carnival that just rolled into town. Galaxy (Rachel Taylor) travels with the carnival as a splinterhead, mastering the art of scamming the crowd, finding marks, and manipulating them for all they're worth. After Galaxy scams Justin, the two form a relationship filled with treasure hunting (known as geocaching), awkward dinners with mom, and realizing their potential for happiness.

Splinterheads begins with Justin rolling out of bed, busting out some killer karate moves, hopping in his crappy '80s-era sports car, and sneaking up behind his buddy Wang Chung (Jason Rogel), who just happens to be weedwacking, before tripping him flat on his back. It's a dangerous move, but a funny move, a move that sets up the rest of the movie and lets us know what to expect: a quirky comedy of the likes we rarely see, yet one that's reminiscent of another little movie about a slacker protagonist known as Napoleon Dynamite.

It's hard not to compare Middletditch to Jon Heder, or rather Justin to Napoleon, as the two are both awkward and goofy in every sense of the word, from their fashion sense (or lack thereof) to their mastery of karate (or lack thereof), and maybe most importantly, their obliviousness to their dorkiness. In their eyes, they're awesome. In the rest of the world's eyes, they're weirdos. However, as Justin is in his 20s, he's a bit older than Napoleon, and not as socially inept. He's allowed to swear rather than scream "Gosh!" or "Dang it!" -- in other words, he's closer to being "normal" but still has a ways to go, providing for some hilarious on-screen moments. Whether he's interacting with others or talking to himself under his breath, Middleditch does an astounding job as Justin, a guy you want to see succeed even though he's destined for failure.

Middleditch is the heart of the movie, but it couldn't have gone far without its equally quirky and entertaining supporting cast of characters. There's his best friend, Wang Chung, and his obsession with asking anybody for a threesome; the carnival's less-than-amazing magician, Amazing Steve; and Justin's grandpa, racking in at 116 years old and officially the oldest man alive. Throw in Justin's mom and her groveling ex-boyfriend (Christopher McDonald), who's also the town's sheriff, and you have yourself a fun, interesting, and delightfully entertaining ensemble cast.

There's also the beautiful Rachel Taylor as Justin's love interest. Much of the film revolves around her thriving occupation as a splinterhead, showing us the ins and outs of her line of work. She's a bit cruel, but she has heart. Galaxy and Justin form quite the relationship, and their on-screen chemistry works well enough to believe a girl like her could fall for a guy like him. Galaxy's obsession with geocaching, a modern-day treasure hunt, puts the two in "getting to know you situations" that are fun and different, breaking the status quo set by other romantic comedies, yet keeping it real and funny.

Independent comedies that set out to teach life lessons while tickling your funny bone are a dime a dozen and rarely succeed. But Splinterheads is the exception. Not only is it laugh-out-loud funny throughout, but I think it'll speak to a generation of recent graduates who may be stuck in a rut in their post-high school life. Splinterheads might not give them the answer about what to do next, but it does give a perspective that's both entertaining and honest. Other than the film's super Hollywood ending and peculiar title, I liked most of what Splinterheads had to offer. If you liked Napoleon Dynamite or even the recent Adventureland, then you'll find a lot to appreciate about Splinterheads.

Grade: A-

Ammon Gilbert covers the latest in movie happenings weekly for Film.com.

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