FEATURE FILM REVIEW
HOT WATER
A cocky jet skier gets his dream shot to compete on the pro jet ski tour.
TWO WORDS FOR anyone reading this. Camel Towing. That's right; a tow truck company called Camel Towing. Are you chuckling like a little school kid? If so, then Hot Water is a film you'll definitely appreciate. There's plenty of high school jokes and gags, and yes, even some toilet humor. As luck would have it, I'm a sucker for this kind of movie, and Hot Water was awesomely submitted to the right person. If you're into any title that's not scared to let loose a few potty-jokes between the waves and the drinks, then I would highly recommend this title from writer, director Larry Rippenkroeger. If juvenile comedy isn't your cup of tea, then not so much.
A PLAN THAT WOULD NOT ONLY MAKE HIM LOOK LIKE A HERO FATHER, BUT ALSO KEEP BILLY AWAY FOR THE SUMMER
It all starts with Billy, who is your stereotypical young dude who's into anything that doesn't require responsibility. He's latched onto jet skiing, and he's pretty damn good. When he dons a dinosaur costume and crashes a party, in the pool on a jetski, he inadvertently missiles the jet ski into his fathers' classic car - wrecking it. His father is fed up, but his wife implies it's his fault for being so distant from his son. Towing the wrecked car (and jet ski) is Danny, who happens to overhear Billy's parents' conversation and proposes a plan to Billy's dad. A plan that would not only make him look like a hero father, but also keep Billy away for the summer. That plan? Enter the jet ski championship with legendary champion Jarid Harper as his coach. This would also solve Billy's fathers' problem with a certain client he's been running an ad campaign for. If jet skiing can't get the younger generation loving his hot sauce, nothing will.
To Jarid, Billy doesn't seem all that worthy of his coaching, and even Danny's insistence that Jarid was just like him when he was young, Jarid has his doubts. It's not the skill that worries him; it's Billy's ability to take it seriously. Jarid caves in, and the coaching begins. As does the losing for Billy. He's not listening, and every race ends in failure. Billy only seems interested in the party, and women and brewing in between all that, is the rivalry with his nemesis Richard. As Billy starts to shape up, he's set up with love interest Kelly Weber. The two try and keep things professional but eventually, you get the idea. 
TOPPING THINGS OFF IS THE LOSS OF THE TEAM'S JET SKI, AND AN FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THEIR SPONSOR
Things start to really go wrong after a joke intended for Danny and Jarid gets played on Richard instead - by accident. This kick-starts Billy's rivalry with Richard to the point Billy ends up in trouble and slightly injured. The joke also wasn't good for Kelly, who is contracted to Richard's team. Topping things off is the loss of the team's jet ski and the FBI investigation into their sponsor, the hot sauce company. All potentially ending Billy's chances at competing. It's when Jarid has a talk with Billy's father that things start to look up. The only thing left now is the final competition. The championship.
THE SIMPLE VERSION? THIS IS A BUDDY FILM THROUGH AND THROUGH
This film has a very large cast, but overall, the acting is pretty great for an independent film. The look of the movie, and the audio are all pretty stellar, and the story, even though it's a little cliche, is exactly where it needed to be to tell the story. Hot Water is a comedy first and foremost, but does take detours into the more dramatic realms. Especially the relationship with Billy and his father. The simple version? This is a buddy film through and through. It delivers some laughs and some serious moments, but the real gold here is that it entertains you. The viewer is seemingly always on the mind of the filmmakers and cast, and it shows. Even the most callous of movie watchers will find something to like here. Personally? Hot Water was refreshing. A movie that didn't take itself super seriously and had some fun with the content. Highly recommended.
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