Guide to Country Roads: The Holiday Special

Guide to Country Roads: The Holiday Special weaponizes incoherence to comic effect. This three-minute movie does everything in its power to disregard any sense of linear structure, although it is by no means an abstract or surreal work. It would be more accurate to describe it as an improvisational project that was made in a day, and that – to its credit – it embraces these hand-made attributes. The atmosphere created through the no-budget approach is one of familiarity; however, the random nature of the film’s technical construction is only as entertaining as it is baffling. With the most endearing aspect being the fact that it’s just a bunch of lads trying to make something fun and dumb with limited resources, the film can absolutely be enjoyed like a home video. But this only goes so far. Additionally, the fact that this short film is just one in a long YouTube series poses its own problems when considered in isolation, but I’m discussing its strengths and weaknesses as a short film.

In terms of the filmmaking, there are a few nice details. Firstly, when the short begins, we get these lovely shots of Christmas ornaments. They’re made interesting through the use of some golden light being cast across the subjects, as if the sun is rising through the windows. This brief moment is wonderful to watch – it not only looks pretty, but also demonstrates a level of ingenuity and creativity from the makers. The “Weird lookin’” joke also works really well because of its filmic elements. The use of a sudden closeup of Timothy is jarring, and, through the amusing editing and repetition, it manages to get a laugh. Another successfully humorous aspect of the piece is the use of overly dramatic, action-movie music, implemented towards the film’s absurd climax. It fulfills the sense of irony that the scenario is going for, as well as incorporating a genuine stylistic trait into the storytelling. This leads to the toy gun being fired: the movie cuts to black, which is another sign that the creatives behind the project recognise – and are able to appropriately utilise – conventional movie-language in their work.

When questioning whether the piece at all operates as a stand-alone work, most will find the answer to be a resounding No. The issue becomes that the majority of jokes included are effectively inside-jokes, in that their relevance is based on us knowing the individuals as well as the previous episodes – thus leading the bits to fail in the eyes of the uninitiated viewer. This also makes their style of humour rather inaccessible to anyone who happens to stumble upon the video online, which, of course, limits their audience. Then again, the attitude of the work and its stars perhaps gives the impression that they care less about entertaining your average viewer than they do about entertaining each other. And that’s more than fine! One can absolutely enjoy their antics, as well as the playful sensibility of what they’re trying to do, without necessarily knowing the Guide to Country Roads lore.