PARK CITY, Utah – While Sundance is often synonymous with intense dramas, this year’s festival lineup surprises with a refreshing dose of comedies, ranging from quirky documentaries to lively, offbeat tales.

Among the standout selections is a new movie by filmmaker Macon Blair, known for his grand jury prize-winning film “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.” His latest work can best be described as a road trip gone awry.

In “The S—heads,” Dave Franco and O’Shea Jackson Jr. star as two hapless individuals tasked with escorting a troubled teenager, played by Mason Thames, to a treatment center. This film, which premiered Friday night in Park City, Utah, is seeking distribution at the festival.

The screenplay, developed by Blair and Alex Orr over a decade ago, almost reached production in 2017. However, financial setbacks halted progress during pre-production.

“Over the years, the script evolved, gaining a darker, edgier tone,” Blair explained. “Despite this, it remains a comedy, intended to provide a fun and breezy experience, though now with a more pronounced underlying current.”

When they decided to try again, Franco was the one who helped get it across the finish line, joining as a producer, finding the money and suggesting Jackson and Thames for their roles. Blair loved watching Franco work, in particular.

“Every single thing he does, you’re like, ‘Oh that could go in the movie,’” Blair said. “He’s so prepared, so dialed in. It was impressive to watch.”

The film also features surprising supporting performances by Kiernan Shipka and Peter Dinklage, who Blair became friends with after getting a beer at Sundance not too long ago. His hope is to find a distributor who might be open to a theatrical release, citing a movie like “Friendship ” as an example of a more unconventional movie that audiences turned out for.

“I hope someone gets the vibe of the movie on its own terms,” Blair said. “You don’t name a movie this because you want it to be a Merchant Ivory thing. But there’s other things in it. I think about O’Shea’s performance and how vulnerable he gets in this. I’m hoping people laugh, I’m hoping people have a good time. But I’m also hoping people see that he’s a great actor too.”

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