Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Flagpole

  • 20112011
  • 22m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
43
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
  • Short
  • Comedy
  • Drama
A film about boners and salami nipples...Just a typical day for 13-year old Zack - getting ripped on by his friends, ridiculed by the girls he's afraid to hook up with, and constantly thinki... Read allA film about boners and salami nipples...Just a typical day for 13-year old Zack - getting ripped on by his friends, ridiculed by the girls he's afraid to hook up with, and constantly thinking about his crush, Maddy Cohen. Quiet on the outside, he keeps his thoughts to himself, u... Read allA film about boners and salami nipples...Just a typical day for 13-year old Zack - getting ripped on by his friends, ridiculed by the girls he's afraid to hook up with, and constantly thinking about his crush, Maddy Cohen. Quiet on the outside, he keeps his thoughts to himself, until today...
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
43
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Matt Kazman
  • Writer
    • Matt Kazman
  • Stars
    • David W. Thompson
    • Tori Cott
    • David Spanos
Top credits
  • Director
    • Matt Kazman
  • Writer
    • Matt Kazman
  • Stars
    • David W. Thompson
    • Tori Cott
    • David Spanos
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Photos

    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    David W. Thompson
    David W. Thompson
    • Zackas Zack
    Tori Cott
    • Maddy Cohenas Maddy Cohen
    David Spanos
    • Evanas Evan
    Lucas Ruderman
    Lucas Ruderman
    • Nateas Nate
    Michael Ryan Bassett
    • Bobbyas Bobby
    • (as Michael Raduege)
    Matthew Poalillo
    • Brad Weinbergas Brad Weinberg
    Jenna Kavaler
    • Hayleyas Hayley
    • (as Jenna Javaler)
    Meghan Foy
    • Janaas Jana
    Kim Carlson
    • Ms. Osmanas Ms. Osman
    Daniel Haughey
    • Principalas Principal
    Joel Kazman
    • Mr. Cohenas Mr. Cohen
    Paula Kazman
    • Mrs. Cohenas Mrs. Cohen
    Spencer Longo
    • Young Zackas Young Zack
    Sadie Feighan
    • Young Maddyas Young Maddy
    Andrew Greiche
    • Studentas Student
    • Director
      • Matt Kazman
    • Writer
      • Matt Kazman
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit
    A film about boners and salami nipples...Just a typical day for 13-year old Zack - getting ripped on by his friends, ridiculed by the girls he's afraid to hook up with, and constantly thinking about his crush, Maddy Cohen. Quiet on the outside, he keeps his thoughts to himself, until today... —Anonymous
    • principal
    • schoolteacher
    • written by director
    • headmaster
    • erotic fantasy
    • 21 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A serious short film. About boners and salami nipples.
    • Genres
      • Short
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Soundtracks
      Little Bird
      Written by Toby Mark Leaman and Scott A. McMiken

      Performed by Dr. Dog

      Used by Permission by Chrysalis Music and Hunter is a Dog Publishing

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    Gets the awkwardness right but doesn't convince as a real scenario or characters
    Since they were children Zack has had a thing for Maddy, the beautiful fresh-faced girl who he watches across the schoolyard but is too nervous to approach. While all around him are talking of their first sexual experiences, Zack contains all of this in his own mind, until one day when a poetry assignment in class sees it unfortunately coming out.

    This short film puts us in the very familiar territory of the awkward teen coming to terms with newly developing sexual feelings and sexual reality; this is both a blessing and a curse – one because it can easily be related to by most audiences, but on the other hand it is an area where one struggles to be fresh and not just repeat what has gone before. Flagpole has a decent narrative and in theory a nice development but it has the big obstacle which was that it never felt real to me. The world we are in with Zack is recognizable for its themes but the characters don't ring true and the whole idea doesn't convince. Perhaps it is because I am older, and this environment really is so frank but it wasn't just in the excessive moments where the film didn't wash, it was the more important smaller moments.

    The conclusion sees a vulnerable Maddy and on paper it is a lovely conclusion because it is about people being people, but the speed and scale of where she goes is unconvincing and although I liked the ideas, the fundamental blocks of that final scene just didn't work for me. Thompson is good in the lead but perhaps pushed too far to be awkward, while on the other side Cott is pushed too far to be the image of perfection, so for them both to meet in the middle is a gap too big for them to convincingly cross and therefore feels like a jump. Generally the look and feel of the film is decent but the writing lacks the requirement shading and subtlety and as a result it all feels like it is done in broad strokes. It works on that level, but it didn't really do much for me because of how basic and unconvincing it was across scenario and characters.
    helpful•0
    0
    • bob the moo
    • Apr 5, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 2011 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, USA
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      22 minutes

    Related news

    Hey Montreal! The Young Cuts Film Festival Starts This Weekend
    Sep 30SoundOnSight
    2011 Coney Island Film Festival: Official Lineup
    Sep 14Underground Film Journal

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.