Escanaba in da Moonlight

Escanaba in da Moonlight is a 2001 American comedy film co-written, directed, and starring Jeff Daniels based on his play of the same name.

Plot
In 1989, Reuben Soady goes to the hunting camp cottage just outside Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, that is known as deer camp, with his father Albert and brother Remnar. Reuben must shoot a buck by the end of the season. If he fails to do so, then he'll the oldest Soady in recorded history (being 43) not to have achieved this task leading to residents of Escanaba thinking he's jinxed. During their stay at deer camp, the Soadys meet quirky individuals such as Jimmy "The Jimmer" Negamanee from Menominee and DNR officer, Tom T. Treado.

Good Qualities

 * 1) The idea of a grown man who attempts to shoot a buck before deer season is over to avoid being the oldest family member on record to not do so is very original.
 * 2) It takes you to an overlooked part of the United States; being the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
 * 3) It has a very authentic depiction of Yooper culture and its dialect.
 * 4) Amazing perfomances, especially Jeff Daniels who makes for a convincing Yooper.
 * 5) Jimmy "The Jimmer" Negamanee is an awesome comic relief.
 * 6) The exchanges between the main characters is really entertaining.
 * 7) It gets really unpredictable with its surreal moments that mesh really well with the rest of the narrative where it makes it more engaging, especially the scene where Reuben has a nightmare that he gets mocked for failing to shoot a buck and the times when the main characters get possessed by spirits.
 * 8) The locations and locales are beautifully shot and were entirely filmed in its setting of the U.P..
 * 9) Fantastic production design, especially deer camp which looks well-built.
 * 10) Nice score, especially the acoustic arrangements.
 * 11) It has a really humble feel to it.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Viewers unfamiliar with Yooper culture will find it hard to understand which would be regarded as in-jokes to them.
 * 2) Some gross out humor such as the bar scene where the male patrons are using brooms and the female patrons are using toilet paper where they imitate wiping in what is supposed to be sex, The Jimmer farting loudly to wake the Soadys up, and the concoction Reuben makes and drinks on advice from his wife, Wolf Moon Dance to help him succeed in shooting a buck whose ingredients include moose testicles as well as scenting himself with porcupine urine for the same reason.