The Dress Up Gang's Surreal Comedy 'Plantman & Blondie' Blends Absurdity and Heart

The film's cast and crew discuss the offbeat premise, their long-running creative partnership, and how the movie evolved from a heist thriller to a heartfelt buddy comedy.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 1:38am

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At first glance, The Dress Up Gang's latest project Plantman & Blondie might sound like a surreal comedy built around a rogue plant vigilante, but beneath the absurd premise lies a more grounded story centered around loneliness, second chances, and the strange ways people find connection. The film follows Cory, a directionless thirty-something whose world is turned upside down after a chance encounter with Plantman, a self-appointed enforcer for neglected greenery. What unfolds is equal parts offbeat and unexpectedly heartfelt, blending deadpan humor with a surprisingly sincere look at friendship and purpose.

Why it matters

Plantman & Blondie represents the latest project from the long-running creative partnership of The Dress Up Gang, a group of comedians and filmmakers who first met doing stand-up in San Francisco in 2009. Over the years, they've developed a unique comedic voice that blends absurdist humor with genuine emotional resonance, as seen in their web series My Roommate, My Friend and now their feature film debut. The movie's offbeat premise and talented ensemble cast offer a fresh take on the buddy comedy genre.

The details

Plantman & Blondie follows Cory, played by Cory Loykasek, whose life is upended when he crosses paths with Donny Divanian's character Plantman, a self-appointed plant vigilante who breaks into people's homes to rescue neglected greenery. Cory's ex-con friend Kirk Fox, who believes the movie is actually a heist thriller, helps push Cory to team up with Plantman on a week-long journey rescuing plants around Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Frankie Quiñones plays a character whose family runs a struggling nursery that serves as a sanctuary for Plantman's rescued plants.

  • Plantman & Blondie premiered at the SXSW Film Festival on March 14, 2026.
  • The film does not yet have an announced theatrical release date.

The players

The Dress Up Gang

A group of comedians and filmmakers who first met doing stand-up in San Francisco in 2009 and have developed a unique comedic voice blending absurdist humor with genuine emotional resonance.

Cory Loykasek

The lead actor who plays the directionless thirty-something protagonist whose life is upended by his encounter with the plant vigilante Plantman.

Donny Divanian

The actor who plays Plantman, the self-appointed enforcer for neglected greenery who forms a reluctant partnership with Cory's character.

Kirk Fox

The actor who plays Cory's ex-con friend, who mistakenly believes the film is a heist thriller and tries to push Cory to work with Plantman.

Frankie Quiñones

The actor who plays a character whose family runs a struggling nursery that serves as a sanctuary for Plantman's rescued plants.

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What they’re saying

“Every character I've ever played was a sex offender. So what's good about this is I asked Cory, I'm like, 'Is my character on his way to prison? Or on his way out.' And when he said he's on his way out, I said, 'I'll do it.'”

— Kirk Fox, Actor

“Cory and my character kind of form a reluctant partnership, and it just sets out on this week-long journey rescuing plants around LA, with some misadventures all along the way.”

— Donny Divanian, Actor

“Part of it started with all of us getting into plants at the same time, and microdosing mushrooms at the same time. And not knowing how to take care of our plants, we kept killing these plants, and feeling bad about it. Donny's character is like an embodiment — he's like a plant vigilante. He breaks into people's houses and rescues their plants if they don't take care of them.”

— Cory Loykasek, Actor

“He'll break in to water 'em, and if they're dying, he'll straight up steal them. So he's doing illegal stuff, but it's for the sake of the plants.”

— Frankie Quiñones, Actor

“It's a really unique film. Everyone in it is hilarious. This is a comedy dream team. And yeah, I think it's a really fun ride, and I hope people enjoy it.”

— Robb Boardman, Actor

What’s next

Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film premiered on March 14, 2026 at the SXSW Film Festival. As of now, the film does not have an announced theatrical release date.

The takeaway

Plantman & Blondie represents the latest project from the long-running creative partnership of The Dress Up Gang, a group of comedians and filmmakers who have developed a unique comedic voice blending absurdist humor with genuine emotional resonance. The film's offbeat premise and talented ensemble cast offer a fresh take on the buddy comedy genre, promising an unexpectedly heartfelt story about loneliness, second chances, and the strange ways people find connection.