Hull Creek

Nichols (Slow Monkeys) delivers a lively yarn about Maine lobstermen facing down times both hard and modern. Narrator Troy Hull is a "dub lobster fisherman" from the port hamlet of Pequot who dropped out of college a decade ago to take over the family lobster business after his mother was killed and his father injured in a car wreck. With his longtime pal, Polky, Troy has fallen to smuggling weed as times have gotten difficult, including a divorce, delinquent boat payments, and an influx of affluent tourists and transplants who have corrupted the charm of his rustic hometown. Smelling a quick way to dash their money troubles, Polky cooks up a big score with dope smugglers and brings in Troy, but the easy job might come at a high price. Nichols does a persuasive job of portraying a town and lifestyle in flux, and if the marine passages sometimes read like they'd benefit from a translation from the seadogese, they come off as the real deal. (Apr.)