The Mother of Invention (2009)

A mockumentary about an aspiring inventor who dreams of winning an annual young inventor award. The only problem is... he's never made an invention that works.

Directors:

Andrew Bowser, Joseph M. Petrick

Writer:

Joseph M. Petrick

Stars:

Andrew Bowser, Jimmi Simpson, Kevin Corrigan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andrew Bowser	...	Vincent Dooly (as Andy Bowser)
Jimmi Simpson	...	Martin Wooderson
Kevin Corrigan	...	Anton Pupkin
Ruby Wendell	...	Jenny Balsam
Craig Anton	...	James Gilmore
Dee Wallace	...	Nancy Dooly
Mark Boone Junior	...	Bill Dooly
Chris Hardwick	...	Drake Wooderson
Dave Allen	...	Dr. Henry Miller
F. Jason Whitaker	...	Gunter Johansson
Bruce McKenzie	...	Gordon Platt
Chris Franjola	...	Jerry Schwartz
Rod McLachlan	...	Don Shanks - Diner Manager
Tim Venable	...	Graffito Gone Inventor
Michael Villar	...	Invisi-Powder Inventor

Storyline

Vincent Dooly is an aspiring inventor who dreams of winning an annual inventing award. There's only one problem... he's never made anything that's worked. Now, it's the last year he can enter and he has some stiff competition from Martin Wooderson, the smug wunderkind who has a long history of winning. But this time, Vincent has a plan... and it just might change everything.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 June 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

One Small Instrument Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Solid Indie effort

When I first saw the Vincent Dooly audition tape a year and a half ago, I had no idea that was an actor, acting. I mean, I suspected it, as one must do these days, but Andrew Bowser's performance in it as a quirky, wannabe inventor talking to the camera as a hopeful subject of The Mother of Invention documentary - is palpable.

The Mother of Invention is similarly palpably entertaining as so many films try to be.

The balance achieved in casting as well as the thoughtful direction and editing renders the performances and the writing in the best possible light, with Bowser bringing the plight of goofball inventor Vincent Dooly to the screen not as a cartoon character, not as a one-note schtick artist, and (thankfully) not as a series of tiresome improv.

There IS a delicate balance achieved with respect to the story of Vincent Dooly (inventor) that never veers too far into silly territory, and never too far into poignant-land, all the while weaving poignancy and silliness into a compelling Indie effort that had me with it until the very end.

The entire cast should also be commended for their effort and I thank them for not throwing the lines out, phoning their performances in, or letting ego get in the way of the story and the film.

This film, obviously a low budget Indie effort is about as good an effort as I've seen in recent years, and I sincerely hope it can invent an audience for itself, because it deserves one.