With athletics comes fierce competition, but perhaps the fiercest of all is between athletes in the same family. The Do-Deca-Pentathlon is a new comedy is about two adult brothers who are still intensely competitive, both on and off the field. The film follows them as they fight to near death in their own strange personal Olympics.
The guys—Jeremy (Mark Kelley) and Mark (Steve Zissis)—initiate their competition in high school, spending a summer trying to beat each other in 25 events comprising their own private “Olympics,” and eventually reaching a draw. In The Do-Deca-Pentathlon, they decide to challenge each other again, despite the fact that they’re approaching 40.
The film is shot with handheld cameras and features plenty of close-ups. No uncomfortable look or gesture goes unseen. The movie’s lighthearted appeal springs from how ridiculous the guys look as they compete in their games, some of which, like running and long jump, count as serious athletic endeavors, while others, like ping-pong and go-karts, not so much. The real test of strength between the brothers: arm wrestling.
The two men may have older bodies, but their minds are stuck in high school. As Jeremy says, “There’s no love lost. We just can’t find it right now.”
The Do-Deca-Pentathlon hits theaters June 6. It could be just the kind of comic relief you need between arm wrestling bouts and go-kart races with your own brother.