The Tavern

Career barkeep Ronnie (Cameron Dye) dreams of owning his own business, so when a local tavern owner announces his plans to retire to Florida, Ronnie begs and borrows enough to partner with his best buddy Dave (Kevin Geer) and buy the thriving establishment. Business continues briskly until the scheming seller emerges from 'retirement' to open a nearby bar, and the partners' clientele all but disappear. Though the two business novices scramble to compete, they never get their legs up for long, and when one of their silent partners gets in trouble with his bookie, the two find themselves at wit's (and checkbook's) end. Writer-producer-director Walter Foote, son of famed playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote, makes a promising filmmaking debut in this unexpectedly engaging and bittersweet sleeper. No big surprises here, just finely nuanced performances at the service of a solidly crafted story. As an added bonus the film features seven songs by the Irish folk-rock band The Saw Doctors, whose soul-searching ballads frame the characters' inner dialogues nicely. Well recommended. (S. C. Sickles)