and Boris Review
What does one do when they suddenly find themselves unemployed? The economic crisis that intensified during 2008 forced many hard-working Americans to face that question, but married couple David P. Kronmiller and Jennifer Emily McLean found their situation even tougher when they were both laid off at the same time. While the financial burden was no doubt hard enough, the issue of suddenly having too much time on their hands proved equally difficult to handle. To alleviate the latter, the couple created the webseries and Boris by utilizing a still digital camera set on video mode, four two-gig memory cards and lights purchased on the cheap from Home Depot.
and Boris stars J. Anthony McCarthy as the title character—a rather large, overweight, balding and goateed former KGB agent who enjoys fresh air and lots of food. He is also lost and confused about his future in a post-Soviet world. “Do you know what is so dangerous about standing on the edge of the world?” he asks. “Trying to keep from jumping.” As luck would have it, he is pulled back into the arena of espionage when his nephew, an aspiring Russian gangster pedaling a toxic nerve gas, captures an undercover American agent. Desperate to recover their colleague, the agent’s fellow covert operatives enlist Boris for assistance.
“Boris used to be part of this elite KGB duo, sort of like the Soviet Batman and Robin,” one of them explains. “Boris and his partner Vladimir had a following out and he came to the US in exile, alone.”
Of course that was then, this now. “We’re screwed,” another operative remarks upon meeting the obviously out-of-shape Russian. But while Boris many no longer be the Soviet equivalent of James Bond or Michael Westen of Burn Notice, he can still handle himself in a fight and has a lifetime of experience to fall back on. Not only does he succeed in retrieving both the agent and the bio-weapon but becomes a part of the American covert team as well.
Despite being filmed on the cheap, and Boris has a professional look and feel to it nonetheless. In many ways it stands superior to other webseries that utilize more expensive equipment but often come across as inferior efforts in both lighting and sound. More importantly, the script is filled with tight dialogue that drives the plot along with dashes of humor that adds to the enjoyment. The lack of funds no doubt limited any sort of complex storyline but the creators exploited their restricted resources to the fullest and then some.
The greatest element that and Boris has going for it, however, is J. Anthony McCarthy. The actor adds a sympathetic charm to the character of Boris and not only recites opening monologues in a naturalistic style but enhances an understanding of Boris with both self-depreciating humor and grace. McCarthy’s performance not only brings the character to life but makes him believable, relatable and someone viewers can sincerely root for.
“What have I gotten myself into?” Boris asks in the first season of the webseries. “I like it when I ask that question. You know why? Because when I ask that question it means I am doing something, I am moving forward, I am not stopping. It means your muscles should feel sore from great effort, your heart is pounding in your chest proclaiming that I am here. I am not forgotten piece of petrified history, I am not piece of furniture, I am not La-Z-Boy.” While such philosophical musings adds greater depth to the character, the words could just as easily relate to the unfortunate employment situation of creators David Kronmiller and Jennifer Emily McLean as well as the equalizing opportunities of the World Wide Web.
“I wanted to show as a filmmaker what you could do with little-to-nothing and with this tiny camera,” Kronmiller explains on the and Boris website. “I wanted to prove to myself that it doesn’t matter what camera you use, that it’s the story and detail that matters. It’s how you use the tools you have, not how shiny they are.”
David Kronmiller and Jennifer Emily McLean have certainly proven that it’s not money that’s important when it comes to creating compelling entertainment but talent, an ear for dialogue and an interesting story to tell. And while they may have struck gold with the casting of J. Anthony McCarthy, it was the husband-and-wife’s drive to make a webseries that not only reflected their personal crisis but the potential of the World Wide Web that raises their endeavor above the growing clutter of the medium. In the end, and Boris is not only a demonstration of that commitment, but a meaningful commentary about being lost and finding significance in an ever-changing world of insecurity.
Anthony Letizia (April 19, 2010)
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