The Guatemalan Handshake

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

Movie Info

A demolition derby driver (Will Oldham) has vanished into the darkness following a massive power outage, setting into motion a bizarre series of events that will profoundly effect everyone from his pregnant girlfriend to a troupe of roving boy scouts and a ten year old girl named Turkeylegs. Later, as Turkeylegs sets out to track down her missing friend, cars kick-up dirt while driving in circles, a woman attends her own funeral, and an orange vehicle repeatedly changes owners. The one night, at a massive demolition derby, the lives of everyone involved are sent spiraling in different directions.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Art House & International, Comedy, Drama
Directed By:

Todd Rohal
Written By:

Todd Rohal
In Theaters:

Apr 22, 2006 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Apr 29, 2008
Runtime:

96 minutes
Studio:

Benten Films

Cast

Katy Haywood
as Turkeylegs

Ken Byrnes
as Mr. Turnupseed

Will Oldham
as Donald Turnupseed

Sheila Scullin
as Sadie

Rich Schreiber
as Stool

Kathleen Kennedy
as Ethel Firecracker

Cory McAbee
as Spank Williams

Ivan Dimitrov
as Ivan

Andy Nadler
as Barnard

Jim Ligons
as Curtis

VaLonda Harris
as Delabia

Sam Myers
as Lunchmeat

Andy Sheffer
as Neckface

T.J. Bream
as Leonard

Christopher Morse
as Insurance Man

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News & Interviews for The Guatemalan Handshake

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Critic Reviews for The Guatemalan Handshake

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (3)

On the index of quirk, this winsome indie scores quite high.

Jun 8, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Bill Stamets
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic
Although Rohal's goal seems to be a rich character study, the movie works best as a celebration of small-town Americana that persists well into the 21st century.

Feb 9, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4

John Hartl
Seattle Times
Top Critic
A frustrating example of convention-defying filmmaking that tries too hard to be different.

Jan 31, 2006

Robert Koehler
Variety
Top Critic
This sweet nothing has invention and personality to spare, not to mention marvelous mysteries, quirky connections and cockeyed running gags.

Feb 8, 2007 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Sean Axmaker
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Deliberately quirky almost to the point of distraction, this offbeat comedy is an enjoyably puzzling film.

Jan 10, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
An entertaining and visually exciting film. It has an oddly meandering pace that is riddled with quirky characters in weird situations.

Nov 21, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Doug Brunell
Film Threat
An understated, surrealist comedy that is more successful at being weird than funny.

Apr 27, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

View All Critic Reviews (7)

Audience Reviews for The Guatemalan Handshake

Aug 28, 2011

After her boyfriend goes missing a pregnant woman with dozens of sisters all from different mothers enters a demolition derby against her Guatemalan father... and that's just one of many plotlines running concurrently in this bizarre rural community. How to describe this unique movie: maybe it's like what would happen if Wes Anderson rewrote GUMMO as a quirky comedy?

Greg S Super Reviewer
May 14, 2010

In "The Guatemalan Handshake," Donald(Will Oldham) disappears during a power outage. Two weeks later, his girlfriend Sadie(Sheila Scullin) asks to stay with his father(Ken Byrnes) when she shows up with a broken arm and pregnant after her father(Ivan Dimitrov) kicks her out of the house.(She is not lying when she says she has dozens of sisters as the family car is a school bus.) Wanting to move on, Sadie is introduced to Stool(Rich Schreiber) at the local roller rink where she accidentally breaks his nose. "The Guatemalan Handshake" is an odd comedy with a sense of humor that is occasionally unkind towards its peculiarly named characters. Otherwise, it does tend to celebrate these outsiders' uniqueness. In the end, the movie is salvaged by its offbeat charm.

Walter M Super Reviewer
Dec 10, 2008

Although it tries hard to be strange, it certainly is. Reminded me of Gummo, but slightly less white trash, and the with the cast of Vernon, Florida. Fun characters and pace.

Curtis L Super Reviewer