“Troubadours” is a funny and provoking coming-of-age indie film.

The plot: Art is struggling in life. He can’t find work, he has little money, he lost his girlfriend, and he’s basically losing his mind. Wanting to get away, he decides to head to the Midwest to hang out with his buddies and take over the farming duties for his father while he’s out of town. Will Art be able to move on from the past or will his life further fall down the drain?

I know coming-of-age stories has been done to death in film, but “Troubadours” has a unique enough point-of-view that makes it stand out above most films in the genre. True, the film beats you over the head with symbolism and goes overboard with showing drinking/smoking scenes, but overall this is a touching and provoking story about feeling lost and struggling to figure out life. The success of the film is undoubtedly due to directors Tom Snyder and Tom and Adam Galassi who do a commendable job in making the viewers feel like they are there with the characters via up close and personal shots and picturesque footage of the Midwest country.

As far as the acting goes, I have to say that Chad Fess and David Marcotte steal the show here. Granted, Tom Galassi is a likeable (albeit whiny) leading man, but Chad Fess’s quirky character Chad lightens up the film on more than one occasion. How Mr. Fess has yet to be been noticed by Hollywood is a mystery to me. Heck, he can even sing and play the guitar! As for David Marcotte, he only has a small role near the end of the film, but he dominates one of the most memorable scenes as the arrogant, ignorant, slimeball known as Uncle Jim.

I could not end this review without mentioning the killer soundtrack that features superb little known bands like Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel. The filmmakers even managed to get a song from My Morning Jacket who have become quite successful since the film was shot.