After the turbulent dissolution of her famed Portland, Oregon punk band, The Snogs, well-known scenester Fauna (Zoe Poledouris) meets young, enthusiastic guitar player Kali (Nicole Barrett) in a coffee house. Kali asks her to start a new group, and Fauna is not interested---until she sees Kali talking to Levi (Coyote Shivers), a local boy who has achieved underground success with his band, The Suicide Bombers. The girls' resulting band is The Paper Dolls--rounded out by sweet-natured record store clerk Lavender (Melody More) on bass, and emerging lesbian Reggie (Kinnie Starr) on drums. The Dolls create a big Portland buzz, even securing a deal with big-time independent label Pop-Up Records. But Fauna's conniving begins to cause a serious rift in the Dolls' foundation, finally coming to a head during a raucous party at their house.

Sometime Allison Anders (GAS FOOD LODGING) collaborator Kurt Voss infuses this low-budget production with a great deal of energy and some memorable songs, compensating for performances by non-professionals (including a funny turn from Lemmy of Motorhead) and occasionally murky digital photography. A virtual catalog of underground rock stereotypes, DOWN AND OUT WITH THE DOLLS is sure to elicit a nod of recognition from anyone who is familiar with the world it depicts.