Lust for Love

I have to be careful what I say here because I know Anton King and Dichen Lachman too well. Dichen is our daughter and we have watched this production develop over the last few years. When one is an observer - and offers advice and criticism - whether it be football, baseball or a movie - it is just too easy. We sit back, watch the show and every small blemish and fumble is noticed. However I give the whole crew 10 out of 10 for this production.

Tonight my wife and I had the opportunity to sit back and watch the movie by ourselves. Normally I prefer slow plodding movies like "Lincoln" and "The Thin Red Line". I do not normally watch love comedies. However I did enjoy this movie and not just because our daughter was in it. Fran Kranz and Beau Garrett did an outstanding job. Caitlin Stasey and Enver Gjokaj are also fantastic.

I enjoyed this movie and it is well worth seeing. The cast and crew deserve a medal. In particular Anton King and Dichen Lachman for pulling it off. No one who has not been involved in making a movie will have any idea just how difficult it is. There are many people who made this production possible and they came up with money because they believed in the project. Anton and Dichen are both Aussies they went to Hollywood and made their movie. Good job ! Lastly I have to say - viva Alessandro Ongaro of Luna Pictures Entertainment. You also did a great service to this picture.

Astor (Fran Kranz) has a crush on Mila (Beau Garrett) since the age of four. After one drunken night, she starts going out with him. His clingy obsessive romantic ways irk her. After breaking up, he seeks the help of her former friend Cali (Dichen Lachman).

This indie has some intriguing actors, several of them gorgeous women. There are probably a few too many beautiful women. Fran Kranz is a good nerdy lead. Dichen Lachman doesn't really project sexual chemistry with him. The addition of Caitlin Stasey muddles the romantic chemistry unnecessarily. Beau Garrett has a great climatic scene and makes a compelling point. In the end, this indie has a surprisingly good cast and the muddled rom-com does have a point of view. The dialog is a little clunky romanticism at times. It's a close call which gets a pass due to its appealing actors.

Lets start with the bad things. The story is recycled to the point of not even being funny. Not going to get into details not to be spoiler-y, but I can think of at least a dozen movies since the 80s (including one from John Hughes), which tell pretty much the same story. Oh, did I say bad thingS? I meant mediocre thing. Singular.

The casting is first class. I mean, not only we are filled with Joss Weadon alumni, as a bonus we get Caitlin Stasey. The production is simple but effective. Directing is one of the finest. Acting, also first class.

Lust for Love is a recycled love story, which would ordinarily make is a B movie even for an indie. However, the overall qualify of the movie; and yes, even the take on the story, recycled or not, make it something you definitely should watch.

Watching this fine cast try to work in this silly movie made me embarrassed for everyone except those who had parts too brief to do them much damage, and, of course, Enver Gjokaj who acquitted himself well by playing Jake the Butthead straight and thereby getting the most genuine laughs.

Most of the "jokes" just weren't funny and didn't make any sense, which is interesting since that is what is said about the main character at one point. A little autobiography then from writer-director Anton King? I like Fran Kranz and Dichen Lachman but their roles and dialog were awful. Kranz's character does variations on the same joke over and over. Lachman's character, the epitome cool combined with cluelessness, is not that interesting. There might be something universal about relationships buried here but it was obscured and trivialized here.

I'm proud to have been a Kickstarter backer for this movie, it turned out to be everything I'd hoped it would be. As a dedicated fan of Joss Whedon's for over a decade, it was both exciting and fulfilling to see so many of my favorite actors reunited for this gem of a romantic comedy. The fact that the writers and actors put so much time and effort into creating this film given the budget restraints truly shows their passion for storytelling and makes watching it all the more rewarding. The writing was witty, creative, and honest as it looked at the complicated world of dating and love. The chemistry between the cast helped bring the characters to life from the beginning of the film, making me laugh and sympathize with them along the way. Lust for Love is a definite must see...