Being Awesome

I found this movie on Amazon Prime and decided to give it a try. I was immediately pulled in by the smart dialogue, deep characters and relatable story. Who hasn't woken up dissatisfied with their lives and decided to be awesome? True story. I enjoyed this movie so much that I watched it alone one afternoon then watched it again that evening with my wife. What can I say? It's funny, smart, poignant and entertaining. My only question is why aren't the filmmakers famous yet?

There is a charm to how this acting ensemble tells the story--the story of how friends relate to each other ten years down the road--after the hills, the valleys, the twists, the turns, the curves, the fender-benders, the collisions, the stuck-in-traffic for days, weeks, months or years. A unique sense of humor can bond people, can make or break a friendship. Humor is a coping mechanism we all depend on, like it or not, and Gardner, well aware of this, tells our stories as he tells his own (and those of the other characters.) This pays off in a total lack of pretentiousness, which is why we love these people.

We all reach those places in life where we feel stuck, start to question everything we do, and sometimes even who we are. This film is about pushing through those moments and learning to feel awesome again. Highly relatable film, as is all the stuff by this filmmaker. If you like this one, I suggest you check out his other stuff too.

Being awesome in high school can continue through college and even through work, maybe continue all of your life, but, not likely. Is it just a self-realization due to the timing in one's life? If you weren't awesome, can you become awesome later? Can you make yourself awesome? Watch this film and get the answer.

I can't help but say: best movie ever. No gimmicks, Real life story. Great acting, editing and directing. Great photography. And that on a budget. True dedication to tell a story with no frills and no exageration and be original too.