The Guatemalan Handshake

Critics Consensus

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71%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 7

52%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 447

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Movie Info

A large power outage affects the lives of eccentric residents (Will Oldham, Sheila Scullin) of a small town.

Genre:

comedy
Original Language:

English
Director:

Todd Rohal
Producer:

Marissa Ronca, Jason Orfanon, Todd Rohal
Release Date (Streaming):

Apr 17, 2020
Runtime:

1h 37m

Cast & Crew

Will Oldham
Donald Turnupseed

Sheila Scullin
Sadie

Ken Byrnes
Mr. Turnupseed

Rich Schreiber
Stool

Ivan Dimitrov
Ivan

Katy Haywood
Turkeylegs

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for The Guatemalan Handshake

Better Late Than Never: The Slamdance ’06 Awards!

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Critic Reviews for The Guatemalan Handshake

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (2)

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

June 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.

February 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.

January 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.

February 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.

January 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.

November 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.

April 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