I feel like I can't judge Geordie Sabbagh too harshly. After all, there's no possibility of mistaking how very indie this production is, with a decidedly modest budget. Moreover, this was his first full-length film as either writer or director, following a couple shorts; some folks come out swinging and hit a home run with their first try, but that's not usually the case. I don't mean to say that this movie is bad - on the contrary, I do enjoy it - but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't troubled. Points in favor of 'A Sunday kind of love' include a fun premise; some smart dialogue and scene writing alongside some fine narrative ideas; and Melanie Scrofano, whose tireless charm and skill is proven to rise above even the most lackluster material. (To illustrate the point, I refer you to boorish 2013 horror-thriller bore 'Nurse,' in which Scrofano's limited time on-screen was possibly the chief highlight.) I also appreciate the emphatically low-key tone of the feature, recalling the subdued, warm, dialogue-heavy, off-the-cuff comedy-dramas of Joe Swanberg ('Happy Christmas,' 'Drinking buddies') or Allen C. Gardner ('Save yourself'). That approach may not sit well with all, but I think it's quite suitable on a case by case basis, and this is one such case.
On the other hand, the repartee in the dialogue is so heavily downplayed that wit, personality, and humor have a hard time shining through. Even Scrofano has a hard time enlivening the proceedings, for as decisively as the most robust flavors are suppressed in Sabbagh's writing and direction. It doesn't help that the sound design is rather imbalanced, with music placed very high in the mix, and dialogue pushed down; the very image quality is weirdly inconsistent, especially where lighting varies from scene to scene. True, one could chalk these technical matters up to the limitations of the resources available for the movie. The same can't be said of the acting of lead Dylan Taylor; I don't know if his performance here is a reflection of Sabbagh's direction, the tenor of his character in particular, a difficulty with commanding a starring role specifically or some insufficiency with his acting generally, or some other factor or combination thereof. Whatever the case may be, it rather seems to me as though Taylor is kind of struggling to align with "Adam," to find his voice and sell the part. I trust that Taylor may prove his capability elsewhere, given the chance; in this, unfortunately, it was just not so.
In addition to any cleverness being cut down, it must also be accentuated that 'A Sunday kind of love' gives us no few moments, especially the climax and ending, that are primed for significant emotional weight and investment. It feels like the picture gets so, so close to achieving that goal (largely thanks to Scrofano, in my opinion), to the point that we can just see it and almost reach out and touch it. And then it's gone. The heart that this should possess powers up, but never hits 100% before the engine breaks down. And that, sadly, tends to speak to the experience of this film as a whole. I do like it, and I see what it tried to do; I think it was nearly there. But whether one wishes to blame deficiency in the acting, technical craft, or writing or direction, what it really comes down to is that this is missing an injection of vitality, some little light to feed a flame and see us through. All the right ingredients are here, I believe, but they are undercooked.
I admire the effort. I look forward to seeing more from Sabbagh (and Taylor) in the future, and surely seeing the growth of their skills as filmmaker and actor. I remain all in for anything Scrofano wants to do. Regrettably, 'A Sunday kind of love' just can't hit the right notes, and it doesn't make much of an impression.
