n an RV park, Lenny (Doug Wyckoff) has to deal with uncomfortable realities. These include carrying a bunch of items with him to the communal shower, as well contending with the repellent smells and sounds of fellow bathroom-users as they undergo gastrointestinal complications. And his personal life isn’t so great either, as he has no one to share his mobile house (a nice airstream parked down by the LA river) with, except for his cat.

Fortunately, he’s found an effective online dating site: Craigslist. There, he’s able to strike up conversations with ease; in fact, he asks Georgia (Teresa Wyckoff), a woman who has just finished writing her first book, on a coffee date quite quickly, after they bond over a handful of messages about seeking life partners willing to travel to the ends of the earth together in search of adventure. What he doesn’t realize, however, is that Georgia is interested in journeying to the literal ends of the earth – the very, very edge, where it comes to an abrupt stop. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

With a routine montage for a whirlwind romance setup, it’s not surprising that Lenny’s superficial coupling will devolve in a spontaneous, catastrophic fashion. The specific conspiracy theory that he finds himself sucked into may be brimming with obvious levity (including a fantastical episode of nutty grotesqueries), but the theme of “Flatters” is curiously timely and perhaps perpetually relevant. How should – or could – someone approach a loved one about fringe beliefs that are in diametric opposition to societal standards? Can reasonable debate be utilized to heighten awareness or recognition of scientific facts?

Strangely, “Flatters” is so short, opting for a sudden punchline about rushing into a relationship, that it doesn’t have time to answer any questions about Georgia’s recognizable psychological affliction. Essentially, it trades any real substance for a hopeful laugh. The use of an intermittent voiceover narration might have provided some closure, but instead it’s presence merely amplifies the focus on regret; it doesn’t even offer commentary on how conflicting worldviews might reach a shaky compromise. This ultra-low-budget film also doesn’t bother with much of a conclusion, dwelling on an unexpected, comical climax to wrap up its notes on unconventional convictions – which solves nothing and leaves the narrative as an overly simplistic, needlessly vague (or uninspired) framework of a rather plain joke about closed spheres of influence and social media disinformation. “What do you say to people that think you’re a nut?”

– Mike Massie