The Weird Cousin
21-Jan-2021
Stuck indefinitely in her childhood home surrounded by her younger cousins, an aspiring musician fixates on making sure everyone knows she’s the ‘weird’ one. “The Weird Cousin,” directed by Megan Patsel, is a playful comedy that was conceived and filmed in quarantine, a showcase for the writing and screen presence of Patsel interacting with her real life family. While her ‘normal’ cousins play sports and take boat rides, Megan stays onshore reading books and thinking about her personal brand. During a back porch karaoke session, she hogs the mic — when her cousin asks to do a song, she turns him down saying, “I have a few more left in my set.” Later, when her dad turns off the radio station playing “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chlli Peppers, she freaks out. As she does when he gets up during a viewing of “The Royal Tenenbaums.” (“You’re missing all the establishing shots!”). Filled with priceless exchanges, repurposed pop songs, Tik Tok jokes, et al, Patsel’s film is a charming, low-fi portrait of post-collegiate aimlessness and desperation. -KA. Writer, Director, Editor: Megan Patsel. Camera/Sound Operator: Callie Patsel. Set/Costume Design: Adelaide Wight. Cast: Megan Patsel, Maddie Patsel, Kevin Patsel, Elle Boyden, Jake Boyden, Ben Boyden, and Lynda Boyden.