Rats! (stylized in all caps) is a 2024 American independent black comedy film written and directed by Maxwell Nalevansky and Carl Fry, produced by With Pleasure Cinemagroup, and distributed by Yellow Veil Pictures. The film is set in the fictional town of Pfresno, Texas in the year 2007 and follows Raphael, who, after being arrested by an overzealous police officer, gets caught up in a chaotic world of drug kingpins, ecoterrorists, mallrats, and rappers. The film blends gross-out humor with social commentary, highlighting the disorder of small-town life and youth counterculture in 2000s Texas.[3] The film received the bronze audience award for Best International Feature at the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival.[4]
Rats! was released in select theaters by Yellow Veil Pictures on February28, 2025.[5]
Plot
Raphael, a young man from Pfresno, Texas, is arrested by the unhinged Officer Williams for graffiti. After his release from jail, he becomes entangled in a mission targeting his cousin Mateo, suspected of possessing nuclear weapons. Raphael's confession to Mateo uncovers a personal vendetta Officer Williams has against him from high school, complicating the situation further.
Rats! was shot in Pflugerville, Texas, a town located near Austin, where co-writer and co-director Carl Fry has lived for the past decade. The story was brought to life in just 16 days with a cast and crew largely based in Austin.[6] The film draws inspiration from the anarchic energy of the Austin 1990s DIY film scene.[7]
Release and reception
Festivals
Rats! was selected to screen at the following film festivals:
2023 Cucalorus Film Festival (Work in Progress Screening)
Rats! received praise for its offbeat and outrageous humor. Dread Central stated that Rats! was “repulsive and crude, but it's also full of heart.”[8]The Houston Chronicle remarked that the film's raw, no-holds-barred approach "boasts a level of exaggerated bad taste that John Waters might admire."[9]The Gauntlet praised the film's tribute to indie cinema, stating that it "serves as a testament to the personal allure of independent cinema," showcasing the unique draw of low-budget filmmaking.[10]
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