Rock, Paper, Scissors:
Way of the Tosser

Runtime: 85min
Written & Directed by: Tim Doiron & April Mullen

Plot Outline:
Throughout history people have used their body, mind and soul in their never-ending quest for power. Gary Brewer uses his hands. Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Way of the Tosser follows Gary Brewer, a die hard RPS professional, along with his girlfriend Holly Brewer (no relation) and best friend Trevor Morehouse, as Gary quests to reign supreme at the 2006 RPS World Championships!

As Gary trains to be the best we learn that being a true tosser involves a lot more than just tossin'. We're talking karaoke, cup-a-farts, tin foil helmets and, of course, karateoss. Oh yeah, there's also the Ludlows, (Gary's infertile, die hard fans / next door neighbors), the sage yet drunken guru Finnegan O'Reilly, and the hot dog eating arch nemesis Baxter Pound.

Most importantly there's the test of true love. Will Gary's heart lead him to victory or will he suffer the same fate as so many tossers that came before him?

My Thoughts:
Well, I came down from London on the Friday night to catch this one at 22:45 so in my head I felt I was likely to be quite disappointed. The alternative was to come here on the Saturday morning getting ample sleep in the interim.

Thankfully the film was good, actually very good, simple in its execution and plot but it did what it set out to do, it amused & entertained, the applause after the film is something I haven't experienced in a long while & as y'all know I've gone to see my fair share of films. The applause was well deserved. These are the kind of films that make a point. Independant films aren't to be under-estimated as they too frequently are.

In case you don't know, a quick overview of what RPS is: Rock, Paper, Scissors is a two-person hand game. It is often used as a selection method in a similar way to coin flipping or drawing straws to randomly select a person for some purpose. However, unlike truly random selections, it can be played with skill if the game extends over many sessions, as a player can often recognize and exploit the non-random behavior of an opponent.

Review
Moving on to the film, it is a mockumentary, even though it comes off as an entirely fictional work, it shows a reality which to many will have been unthought of. The sport hasn't been made up for the film. There is in fact a WRPS tournament where a part of this was shot. The RPS enthusiasts, especially the ones that take it seriously, clearly must know that they're mocked for it; in a tongue-in-cheek fashion it is a hobby that mocks itself. Making a film that is mocking a sport that mocks itself must have been a challenge in itself. Kudos for achieving that.

Yes, there are hints of Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story, in that there is a common ground between them, we have the protagonist underdog and his supporters and friends, we have the opposition who we root to lose from the very get-go and they compete at a sport that is kinda difficult to take seriously. The comparison ends there.

There is distinct and pleasant flavour about the characters as soon as they are introduced, Gary (Tim Dorion) and Holly (April Mullen) Brewer are instantly likable. They definitely have a good chemistry. I'd say its notable that they look like they enjoyed making this film. Baxter 'the chump' Pound is instantly arrogant and dislikable. The competition between them is clear cut and simple. Shot over a tight schedule of only 9 days, this low budget film shows that good films aren't about budget, they're about content & this is entirely where it scores.

Then there is the unforgettable character of Trevor (Ryan Tilley), their best friend and supporter, like my friend Demon, you'd probably be dubious about befriending him, for he is certainly strange. He seems to have a strange sixth sense and seems quite connected to what would be considered 'beyond' reality, but once you get to know him he's just as lovable, if not more. Some of lines did come across as perhaps a nod to the Napoleon Dynamite, I'd say this is more the way the character has been written but I do have to admit, it was very strange listening to Ryan in the Q&A after the film speaking in a 'normal' fashion. So, unlike Jon Heder, I come to the conclusion this guy can act different parts too.

The story sets us up a few days before the tournament, and the following scenes bring us closer to the characters as the training montages begin. You wouldn't imagine this number of jokes about tossing was actually possible. By the time we reach the tournament we have been educated with the weaknesses & strengths of our protagonist. We've met his Guru, we;ve met Little Stacey his disciple, we've met the mighty Intimidator (the best scene in the film!!) and so I won't go into how it all ends, but I will say you find yourself rooting for him the entire way.

In the end, though you'll realise you've learnt a fair thing or two about the art of tossing, but the overall film is about love & friendship and treasuring those close to you.

Possible moral of the story:
Tossing is a crucial part of life, you could deal with all your daily issues in this simple manner. So many wars could be stopped if people were to take up tossing instead. It's not that hard to understand the rules, two pre-tosses for streetwise, three for qualified professionals. ;) What's hard is knowing your opponent.

I recommend this to anyone up for a laugh. You'd find it difficult to walk away from this film without a smile. Keep your eyes open for it.