Sparkling and vivacious, Jordan Tragash’s heartfelt queer comedy captures with considerable charm the conundrums of the precarious gig worker’s lifestyle. For those familiar with Chicago, BAM! – standing for “Broke Ass Motherfuckers!” – is a dose of eye-candy adventure, rollicking through a series of beloved local landmarks. The interlocking stories bring together a delightful group of 20-somethings, all hustling for money. Living out of a storage unit, Auggie (Tuxford Turner) delivers sex toys to make ends meet, a job that is hilariously unsexy in practice. Always on a bike, Auggie soon cross paths with another courier Eve (Tip Sayarath), whose spirited energy makes for a contrast with Auggie’s endearing awkwardness. Throw in a freelance pharmacist – AKA a drug dealer – and his hapless employees, and we’ve got ourselves a real modern-day farce.
Shot with dynamism, the relationship between Auggie and Eve fizzes with spirited chemistry as the film embraces the beauty of chance encounters and found family, something that is made possible by life in a big city. More than a love letter to Chicago, BAM! also celebrates diversity in a way that doesn’t feel forced; from Auggie and Eve to the smaller roles, each character is not only defined by their identity, but feels fully fledged in their struggles, hopes and dreams. The smart, laugh-out-loud funny dialogue also beautifully contributes to this vibrant sense of authenticity.
In an independent film-making landscape that suffers from a uniform look, the colourful palette adds another refreshing touch even if, due no doubt to its economic runtime, the conclusion feels slightly rushed. Still, for a feature debut, BAM! beautifully showcases Tragash’s promise as a director to watch.
• BAM! is on digital platforms from 25 November.
