Welcome to âYour Weekly Short,â a LakeFrontRow.com feature that showcases one short from a Wisconsin filmmaker all while stretching the definition of “weekly.” Brace thy face.
Wausau’s Jarrod Crooks is really good at looking dumb. Really dumb. Make no mistake, that’s a compliment and one that holds up in “Jerk Chicken.” With co-writer/director Greg Kuper, Crooks puts a macho, womanizing persona on blast in a manner that’s as scathing as “Bitch Slapped” and even more stylish.
As he slips in line, Crooks’ bro-dude switches on the charm (really, is it ever off?) and immediately begins hitting on Marie Sirena while fielding calls from the significant others of various women he’s slept with. Surely the supreme version of multi-tasking in his character’s mind, this public juggling act seems like familiar territory. Even so, Kuper and Crooks bring swift retribution, complete in both muscled boyfriend (Joe Rowlette) and schlubby father (Dale Mitchell) formats. It isn’t enough that Crooks already fears for his life. “Jerk Chicken” flips him out of the frying pan and into whatever’s keeping that dad’s hair up.