Indy fans of Gen Con may very well remember this award-winning feature film that captured the wildly popular gaming convention's top prize for Best Feature Film in 2015. After having picked up that prize along with the Best Alaskan Film prize at the Anchorage International Film Festival and Best Comedy Feature at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, the smart and entertaining Detective Detective Detective is looking toward a 2016 streaming/VOD release along with another festival appearance in July.

The film stars Adam McCabe, Henry Kaiser and Matthew Clay as three brothers LARPing as detectives in the Alaskan wilderness, about as natural a fit for a festival like Gen Con as you can possibly get. LARPing, for the uninitiated, stands for "Live Action Role Playing," a rather beloved activity for many who attend the various Con-style events around the country.

The three brothers, well played by a terrific ensemble cast, are more than a little estranged before they agree to unite for this mystery LARP. While many films centered around the world of gaming could be accused of compromising story for quirk, Detective Detective Detective is a fully developed story co-written by Justin and Michael Edwards with strong characters and enough laughs to keep you entertained throughout its 83-minute running time. While I'd personally say that those familiar with LARPing will likely enjoy the film the most, the film is nicely constructed enough that even the novice should be able to understand what's going on.

The lensing by Leslie Andrew Ridings is creative and inspired, especially when a certain ancillary character arrives on screen, and the music by Michael Ian Edwards and Benji Robinson captures just the right energy for the film.

Detective Detective Detective doesn't go exactly where you expect it to go, though ultimately it's a film where the journey itself is so much fun that you'll likely find yourself grateful for just having taken the journey. A witty comedy with dramatic moments, Detective Detective Detective is definitely a film for you to check out when it arrives on VOD/streaming release later this year.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic