Agua Donkeys
2018 · 20m · United States
Directed by MP Cunningham
Genres: comedy, coming-of-age
Tones: absurdist, humorous, whimsical
Two pool cleaners, MP and Jer, chase the perfect tan and a date with their co-worker Jackie while dodging their strict boss.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
The premise reads like a thousand other indie comedies about misdirected desire, but the film's willingness to let its absurdism breathe—those whimsical tangents that have no punchline—actually unsettles the coming-of-age formula in ways most shorts are too nervous to attempt.
Cunningham's formal control of tone is assured, balancing the quotidian (pool cleaning) with the dreamlike without collapsing into either; the film understands how to occupy that liminal space between naturalism and fable that characterizes the best contemporary short work.
The decision to shoot the pool-cleaning sequences with such luminous, patient attention—letting the mundane labor become almost meditative—transforms what could've been disposable comedy setup into the emotional core, and that tonal choice alone elevates the whole endeavor.
Reviews
The relaxed quirkiness of the film, paired with the strength of the performances turns this rather simple plot into an entertaining escape, blending conventionally hilarious moments with stoner-style absurdist bits. If you do too, we have good news—MP and Jer's adventures will hopefully live on in an episodic format!