Kisses and Caroms (2006) User Reviews

Borrows from Clerks and Monthy Python

[bo-85 · 3/10 · 14 September 2006]

I was looking forward to seeing this film due to the hype I was reading on the IndieClub web site. This film on many levels disappointed me.

Bad sound: I had trouble hearing several lines and the sound bite of the doorbell always sounded the same which made it sound like an obvious add on. Poor editing: nearly all scenes lingered too long. Cutting a few seconds off the end of each clip would have really helped the pacing.

The main story line is weak - we have an introduction to the situation at the start of the film - but then the story is dropped only to return at the very end of the film. Plus the characters are always talking about things that have happened – its always better to show the audience than to tell. And there is too much unfunny toilet humor in the film which seems to be used as filler. This film is modeled after the film Clerks but takes place on a billiards shop. It seems that every character entering the store is retarded. Many of the jokes are taken from the old Month Python routine where a customer comes into a bookstore and asks if they sell books. The video quality is generally good but they should have used better lighting instead of just the ambient light.

Apparently this is a comedy

[grantss · 3/10 · 23 July 2022]

I assume this is billed as a comedy because it sucks as a drama. Turns out it's just as bad if viewed as a comedy. Quite unfunny and dull.

Avoid - this doesn't work as any genre.

A Scratch Shot

[djopdyke · 5/10 · 4 September 2006]

Kisses and Caroms was OK... I gave it a 5. It held its own for such a low-budget film, especially from first-timers. It wasn't *that* funny tho, definitely hit and miss. Some of my quibbles: The notion that 3-ways could be the saving grace of any good relationship was a little odd. The Eddy character was either underused or completely unnecessary, hard to say which. It didn't ring true that David would be trying to get Zach laid (via hot housewife Ginger Lynn) the day after Z announced his 3-way experience. I mean, really!? Besides, I'm probably older than the demographic target audience, so maybe didn't appreciate the tone as well.

And, as pool players, my g/f and I were really disappointed because the whole billiards angle was only used as "backdrop". We'd hoped for more "action", on that front anyway... Oh, well.

Not worth the time, nor Kevin Smith's endorsement

[Paxviri · 2/10 · 4 September 2006]

This movie is particularly weak. Near the end there are about five or ten minutes which are mildly intriguing and provide only surface tension, but mostly this is a super lame attempt at crude comedy. The box seems to scream out that it is a Clerks wannabe, and the guy at the store told me that if I liked Clerks then I'd like this, but I don't' think that's true. Sure, this movie focuses around coworkers and their interactions with customers, but it ends there. In Clerks, Dante hates his job, which is what makes it work. In this movie David has a bachelor's degree but is so happy working at a billiard supply store that he doesn't feel the need to use it.

The DVD cover features a quip from Kevin Smith, but don't be fooled. Smith must have been washed over in hero worship. This film makes direct references to Dogma (Rufus, the 13th apostle) and Chasing Amy (fingercuffs) and includes a character named Silent Bobbette who is a female version of Silent Bob (but looks more like Jay trying to dress up like Silent Bob).

This movie doesn't live up to any indie hype it has.

Go back to filming the Rocca family reunions

[janus-33 · 1/10 · 3 September 2006]

I can fully appreciate independent film-making, especially a lot of the film that has been released on the Sundance festival. But this movie about two 30-something guys and their problems concerning a threesome is not fit for any festival or even TV. I can live with bad acting, the worst dialog and unbelievable characters, but the story that unfolds has to be more intriguing than a threesome, brainless pool chicks and two guys that are far too old to be acting like teenagers.

When you look at the credits in this movie, it was produced with the help of the entire members of the Rocca family. I think they should go back to just filming the Rocca family reunions.

On behalf of the comic book guy from the Simpsons... "Worst episode... Ever"

[dw4655 · 1/10 · 9 October 2007]

That was a waste of time and money. In Australia the title is called American Pool. And the cover says "It's American Pie meets Clerks". For one it is nothing like either of those movies. The film is low budget, you can tell that from use of what I believe where hand held handy cams or maybe a recording from someone's mobile phone, the lighting wasn't even the best at times. IT LACKS STORY LINE!!! it was pathetic. I did not even watch the entire movie. If anyone is even thinking of getting this movie just to see some hot sex scenes I'm sorry but your money will be better spent on A night in Paris.I rented this movie as a 1 night new release movie from the local video store and I believe it was a waste of time and money.

The "new" Clerks!

[seenrobinson · 6 March 2005]

This movie hit me as an updated West Coast version of Clerks. Vince Rocca has created a real feeling of life in an area where "just sex" and "meaningful relationships" are often blurred by "glamour" of being a player. The characters all handled their roles with ease and both the writing and the acting nailed the point home. The only real misses where the toilet and sneeze scenes that seemed to in the movie for a shock effect. Ginger Lynn showed that she has a sense of comedic timing. Vince may just pick up where Kevin Smith left off with this gritty but real look at the illusion of promiscuity as a glamorous lifestyle, with a tongue in cheek delivery.

Monkey Boy antics!

[mjconway1 · 4/10 · 22 April 2005]

This indie sex comedy lives up to its billing. Kisses and Caroms builds up to a humorous and satisfactory climax. There is quite an array of offbeat characters that enter in and out of the Billiards store! For something that was made on the ultra-cheap, I was impressed with the production value; excellent sound, good lighting and all around technically competent.

The DVD has an excellent menu system, including a "Flash" tease. I also loved the play on Dreamworks' opening logo! "Helium" was a nice bonus, as well.

As some others have commented, I would like to see where Mr. Rocca's career goes. It seems that he has the smarts and creativity to pull off something special.

Ready for some raunch? This is for you! (unless you're a prude)

[jeff-862 · 5/10 · 15 September 2005]

Okay. So life at a billiards store is usually pretty tame - except when you're working at Breaktime Billiards. Man. Seems like in 24-hours you get to see all walks of life, eavesdrop on people's sex lives, learn about how to almost get killed, and chalk it all up as a hard day's work.

I happen to know the director is a big fan of Kevin Smith, but that didn't prepare me for all the insanity scattered throughout this tightly conceived independent flick. I really enjoyed the customer "curve" balls. Having worked retail quite a bit, I could see where Rocca was coming from and going to. "Do you have pool cues?" Duh! Made me laugh.

If you're not into racy rendezvous, this movie might not be pour vous. But if you enjoy and good romp through blue-collar sex fantasies and can relate to random retail madness, this movie is bound to rack up some laughter.

I say, give it a shot!

A day in the life of Silent Bob while going to Ridgemont High

[clubgtv · 7/10 · 28 February 2005]

I thought that it was a cute and funny. A great start for a new director and writer. It builds off of a fun evening with a couple trying to save their relationship with a threesome, but turns into the uncomfortable and funny situations that are created after-wards.

Than you add in the group of friends to fan the flames and add a little extra action of their own, and you get this fun film.

I think it's a great start and can't wait to see where this new directors career is going to go. I was especially impressed when learning that they were able to create this project with a budget of only around $5,000. It adds to the fact that there is something to be scene from Vince Rocca and Mike Hutchinson in the future.

Great Fun, I laughed a lot.

[ray-320 · 8/10 · 8 March 2005]

A buddy gave me a screener copy of this and it cracked me up. It's a low budget indie-ish movie that totally reminded me of Clerks and Chasing Amy. If I didn't know any better, I'd be suspicious that this was made by the same guy.

It's very one room stage play-ish. But it keeps your attention. There are some JackAss scenes that seemed to be inserted for shock value, but they were funny.

The acting is soft, but not bad. Some of the people were really good and I'm surprised I haven't seen them before. The lead Zack is a great example. That guy has a familiarity that I could swear I seen him before, but when I looked him up, he wasn't listed in anything. The women were HOTT. My god, I was mesmerized every time the blond was on screen. I'm not even sure if she spoke, I was just in awe.

I didn't think the David guys character would do what he did, and if he did, I thought he'd back away. May sound riddle-ish if you haven't see it, but once you do, you'll get my drift.

Overall, knowing this is a first movie, and was made by a guy who never made a movie before, it was great.

Nicole Rayburn + "Clerks" + "American Pie" = "Kisses & Caroms"

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 17 June 2007]

In California, Zack (Drew Wicks) owns the "Breakingtime Billiards", a store that sells pool tables and game room supplies. He works with his girlfriend Jennifer (Nikki Stanzione); the sexy seller Tara (Nicole Rayburn); the installer of pool tables and best friend, the wolf David (Ryan Parks), and his idiot assistant Eddie (Keith Alexander). After having a threesome arranged by Jen with Tara, Zach breaks up his relationship with Jen, in spite of her bringing him up all the time. He tells his sexual experience to David while Jen asks for an advice to her psychologist Dr. Bob Johnson (Bart Shattuck) in his radio show. Along the day and after the visit of many peculiar clients, Zack concludes that Jen is his dream girl.

"Kisses & Caroms" is visibly inspired in Kevin Smith's "Clerks" and "American Pie" franchise, with erotic and gross jokes and situations. However, this low budget movie has an ace called Nicole Rayburn. This unknown actress is extremely sexy and attractive with her luscious body, has a good acting and is the greatest attraction of this very reasonable independent film. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Kisses & Caroms"

comment...

[paa1998 · 6/10 · 19 February 2005]

I HATED the intentional "SILENT BOB" reference of the pizza delivery girl. She was not acting, just so intentional she was hard to watch. Even though her part was so brief, her role was distracting for me and left a NEGATIVE impression. The (blonde) bimbo was bad, Ben Affleck guy was cute and good, Fran Drescher girl was endearing and natural, and blonde guy had a nice chest. I did feel claustrophobic with the constant scenery of the Billiard shop. O.k. Dialogue. The menu page with the girl flasher was kind of gross and annoying even though my boyfriend thought that she looked o.k. But I am confused because the menu girl's breasts did not match the character. Was she supposed to be the same person? She was wearing the same outfit. I searched and froze my screen several times and compared the two and think that either she was recast half way through, a stand in, or the filmmakers are trying to pull one over me. Nevertheless on Kisses and Caroms part 2, may be a Chippendale Dancer could be used for the menu section for girls and gay guys.

K&C Awesome Freakin' Flick.

[StarSeuss-1 · 10/10 · 1 February 2005]

SO, I am probably one of the first people in the whole world to see this movie.

All I can tell you is its soooo great. I am not even sure what else to say.

The writing is wonderful...funny, and has the rough, Indie feel to it. Is never boring. Gets and holds your attention for the entire flick.

The Characters in the film are amazing. Very well written and the actors do a Fantastic Job.

This movie is definitely not a PG-13 Flick. It has its raunchy moments...but is never over the top. (Well, OK..maybe a bit...at times..) I would call it a Clerks meets the Billiard Sales World. ;)

you gotta like really stupid movies

[cekadah · 6/10 · 13 July 2013]

this stupid movie isn't trying to impress anyone! that's the charm of it!

the actors are (the girls especially) are young and hot. the stupid guy is 'stupid funny' and the customers that come into the pool table shop are a good diversion from the nonsense of the plot.

its a cheap movie that worked for me because it was simple & silly, and the twist with the radio advice doctor was actually a little suspenseful. but you know nothing tragic will happen.

it's not a big winner but it's a fun soft core adult flick with just enough action to keep your attention!

It's not as bad as it's rating in IMDb

[amirsiddique · 6/10 · 27 October 2007]

The low rating is typical of the IMDb, i-e; movies with no famous celebrity are mostly underrated. In other words, if there are two similar movies with same level of acting, the one with famous celebrity will get overrated and the one with no famous celebrity will typically get underrated.

I admire the director for managing to make a video with all the characteristic of a typical movie within a very limited happenings. The movie hardly covers a couple of days of the routine life of a snooker shop and a couple of events. Prices of snooker items were tagged excluding the taxes, people would baffle when they know that they have to pay more than what they saw on the price tag. Then there were other things, which u can see in the movie.

a great flick

[dvtaper · 9/10 · 21 September 2005]

Vince Rocca did a great job on this one. I've seen a lot of comparisons here to Kevin Smith's 'Clerks' but I enjoyed this indie a whole lot more. This is definitely a flick to chill out with on a Saturday night. I thought it was very funny and Vince did a great job with the sound & cinematography IMO. I knew from watching the trailer that I would enjoy this film and I surely did! The women are especially hot too.

This film is a fine example of what can be accomplished by the independent filmmaker. And it should surely serve as inspiration/example to those of us who aspire to make indies. If you get a chance to see the screener for this you should--you won't be disappointed. Great job on this everyone!

Why isn't this film on-screen or in-stores yet?

[cinevid · 7/10 · 2 October 2005]

This fun little romp into the world of billiards is just as good or better than many films I've seen in all the various video stores and yet I had to schmooze my way into obtaining a screener copy. It amazes me how even after you've completed a pretty darn good movie, you have to wait and wait for it to see any kind of release.

The film itself is a romantic comedy that most of the time hits it's mark and flows well and maintains interest. The language is pretty bawdy at times, but accurate in representing the culture-du-jour and the characters are all believable and relateable (I'm sure neither of those words are readable, let alone definable).

The title is a bit esoteric, and at first glance makes me think of Hershey's Kisses and chocolate carobs, but watching Nicole Rayburn as Tara certainly took my mind off everything else. To quote a famous line from one of my all-time favorite movies, "Schwing... Yada, yada, yada".

Bottom line, a fun film, a great first film, and entertaining to the last ball.

Kisses and Caroms is awesome

[theclu1054 · 9/10 · 29 January 2006]

As self-assured a film as any I've ever seen, Vince Rocca's Kisses and Caroms gives me just the boost I need to start my own career as a independent filmmaker. Threesomes, porn stars and billiards? What more could anyone ask for? The flick follows in the path of Kevin Smith while at the same time blazing it's own unique path by putting a spin on the classic romantic comedy rules, i.e. the boy spends the whole movie trying to get the woman who he has no chance of getting and instead puts the female character in that most unenviable situation. Why exactly this movie wasn't excepted to Sundance or Slamdance is beyond me, as in this world of low quality crud, we need more movies like Kisses and Caroms out there. Definitely deserves a 9.

CLERKS is a good call

[hardcoresocrates · 7/10 · 24 June 2005]

This is quite an accomplishment for a no-budget film. Good acting (not a common no- budget commodity), beautiful, intelligent and 3-dimensional women and quirky philosophies that really make you think.

You should check out this movie for yourself, especially if you like CLERKS and guy-trying- to-figure-life-out-while-sleeping-gorgeous-funny-women-along-the-way type films. A funnier, fun SIDEWAYS.

In sum (10 lines required, here): It's funny It's smart It's inspiring to filmmakers who believe a good story, along with support from competent actors and DP's and friends and crafty, is all you need.

A hilariously fun, sexy film !!!

[fxmech · 10/10 · 25 August 2005]

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It had many hilarious, lighthearted moments that had my eyes watering from laughter. The flip side is that while it made me laugh, it was also exploring some real issues about relationships and commitment and man's difficulties doing either! I enjoyed the sexy scenes but was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a lot more to this film than the box art suggests. Add to that some great acting and a couple of amazingly beautiful, sexy, hot, talented, (did I mention sexy) ladies, and you have a sure fire winner! I watched this film with my wife, and I can honestly say that there is something in this film for men and women alike (specially when you watch it together)…enjoy!

A great laugh and a lot of fun!

[ronniebee · 8/10 · 15 December 2006]

This is a great film. A really original screen play and a solid independent comedy. The film takes place in suburban LA and it focuses on billiard store owner Zack who frets between his ex-girlfriend Jen and the sex life of an active bachelor. His girlfriend wants to organize a threesome to prove to Zack that she can be the woman of his fantasies. Zack has sidekick is his buddy David. A guy who idolizes Hugh Hefner. The film is filled with wacky but well thought out characters including a hilarious angry midget and a gun wielding psychiatrist. I laughed all the way through and was really amazed at the production quality of this indie comedy. It was funnier than almost any studio comedy I saw this year. Vince Rocca has a truly original movie here and I can't wait to see what he does next.

Clerks with hot chicks

[donegreg · 9/10 · 18 April 2005]

Take Kevin Smith's cult flick Clerks, change the convenience store to a billiard shop, and make the leading ladies really hot, and you'll end up with Kisses and Caroms. Oh yeah, make it in color too! Zack's problem comes almost right out of Chasing Amy. He doesn't feel experienced enough sexually to be in a committed relationship with his very hot ex-girlfriend, who for some reason adores him. Unlike Chasing Amy however she's willing to let him get 'experienced' with her a la menage a trois. Most of us can only wish to have his 'problem'. It's actually my only real beef with the movie, as I wanted to smack him around for being such a moron for breaking up with her in the first place! The movie is complete with its funny moments with annoying customers and such. My personal favorite is a 'small' joke when a midget comes in.

Basically, if you love Clerks, you gotta check out this homage to it. If you don't, go rent a movie about pizza or something.

If the movie "Clerks" had a sexy sibling, this would be it!

[digitalevolutionproject · 8/10 · 4 March 2005]

What a complete surprise this movie was. It's funny... poignant... and VERY sexy.

For his first film, Vince Rocca has delivered a great piece of entertainment... enough to make Kevin Smith jealous.

He has a solid cast, especially Nikki Stanzione, who I'm shocked not to have seen before this film. And Nichole Rayburn just sizzles on the screen... add that to some snappy dialogue, and you are in for a treat.

Also look for a great cameo from Ginger Lynn Allen... I really do think this woman has some great performances in her, no pun intended. I would love to see her in some larger roles.

And, the soundtrack is fantastic! Honestly, I would buy a CD with these songs on it in an instant. So, anyone affiliated with Kisses and Caroms, please release the music on cd, or tell us how to track those songs down.

Great little comedy with heart

[shankytotobonky · 8/10 · 11 June 2005]

I was lucky enough to check out this indie film and I was thoroughly impressed. The Kevin Smith influence is obvious, though the film pulls it off well. Lots of sophomoric humor offset with some great moments. The cinematography "felt" a little "indie"- as in not shot by an ASC member, but still felt solid. The same goes for the editing. The writing had to be the best part- lots of great one liners and witty banter. The guys were funny, the girls attractive- the way it needs to be in the type of flick. Clearly the film is a labor of love and it shows. It was shot on a prosumer video camera- probably the way Kevin Smith himself would do it if he were to start his career at this moment. Yet, the film is more watchable than many of the Hollywood films out at the moment. Imagine what these guys could do with a budget... Highly Recommended!