VENEER BY MAXIMILLIAN AGUIAR
Directed By by Maximillian Aguiar
A suburban cocaine dealer tries to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic while carrying out his ultimate plan.
The director, Maximillian Aguiar, filmed a film about Covid during Covid which is an especially challenging task. But in order to spice things up, the director chose a peculiar character to lead us through the story – a drug dealer. The drug dealer has a distinct look that includes long ginger hair, gold teeth, gold glasses and pajama style clothes. He walks around town barefoot, attending to his errands while making sure to wear his mask and his gloves. The ‘no shirt, no shoes, no service’ rule has clearly been modified. No one seems troubled by his appearance, and the small town in general seems quiet and hospitable.
The film delivers amusing moments that show the dealer go about his day, describing it as perfectly normal, when it’s anything but that.
The drug dealer, Dominic Willis, played by Logan Diemert, keeps his eyes wide open and delivers a deep voice that’s hard to ignore. He makes sure to act civil while he’s outside, but when he’s home alone, it turns into one long party. Joined by a couple of friends, Blondie played by Anna Lindström, and John played by Alex Pace,each with their own peculiarity, the three get ready for their big event.
Watching the film, you can tell the director’s voice and style are clear. He enjoys taking his time and truly studying the characters’ quirkiness. The music is fun and gives the film an enjoyable touch, but the pacing could use more work . ‘Veneer’ is not your usual comedy and will not answer some big question. Instead, it finds its beauty by focusing on the little things one can do for their own enjoyment. This is what this film is about. The people in their everyday life, experiencing the same, repeating their routine, finding themselves through it and because of it, and doing all of that while Covid-19 is affecting the world.
The director, Maximillian Aguiar, is a comedian and editor with various experience in short skits and videos. His first feature film "THE DOORS BETWEEN US" was released at the Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake in Denver for a midnight screening, and later screened in countless festivals around the world. “Veneer” is his second feature film. In 2010, Aguiarand his friend, Diemert, who acted in both films, founded the art collective Janky Jank Productions, and have been collaborating ever since.
Can’t wait to see their next project.
