Who Needs It?

The first few minutes aerial shots got me excited. Usually for indie films I'm not blown away before I meet the characters, but this time I was!

This film first a hard look at race when a African American male is marrying into a Caucasian family. The second couple is there with their ex whom the woman has a child with. The third couple is having financial issues.

Race is addressed in a respectful manner and it causes the characters to not only look at their own biases but their true intentions as well.

In therapy the couples discuss expectations and life problems.

With the help of their therapist they are able to grow as couples and strengthen their relationships.

We are asked the question in the tile who needs it? However I think the better question is who benefits from therapy? And I believe the answer is everyone who wants to grow.

Co-written by Marcus D. Spencer and Eduardo Castrillo and directed by Marcus D. Spencer, 'Who Needs It?' is a feature length comedy drama that stars Michael Grayson, Sherill Quinn, Felix Harry and Spencer himself.

Marcus D. Spencer plays Kieth D Real, a therapist who helps couples get to the root of their problems. When three different couples come to him for help, Real will find his hands full and as secrets are revealed and passions rekindled, will Real be able to help them as much as he wants them to?

'Who needs it?' approaches race in an interesting way and showcases three distinct ways how modern African American men approach cohabitation and love. From marrying into a Caucasian family, to marrying single mothers to financial issues; the film presents distinct problems facing African American couples and comes up with novel ways of handling these issues.

In the acting department, the star of the show is Spencer himself. Not only does he bring a charm and gravitas to the role, he is the linchpin on which the entire story rests. The rest of the cast, rounded out by Michael Grayson, Sherill Quinn, Felix Harry and others does a nice job of bringing their characters to life. The dialogue heavy script not only fleshes out the characters but also throws in realisations about relationships and life itself. This makes the entire endeavour worthwhile.

Spencer's direction is great as he brings his own co-written script to life in the most meaningful way imaginable. The story moves along at a potent pace as the narrative pacing and editing ensure that there is not a single dull moment in the entire film. In regards to the cinematography, the aerial shots at the start of the film set a nice tone for the story as the rest of the film mostly takes place in one single room.

Therefore, to conclude, 'Who Needs It?' is a light, funny comedy that will not only entertain you but also make you think about therapy and couples counselling. The characters are great, the wit is sharp and the feel good nature of the story works in more ways than one. Marcus D. Spencer's comedy drama ticks all the right boxes and is a perfect watch for a slow Saturday evening.

OMG. This movie was so engaging. It captured my full attention. A must watch film.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the various couple's relationships being sifted through. My only complaint is, it ended and I want to know how each couple continued or discontinued, in their respective relationships. I need more!

I'm hoping that there will be a sequel so we can continue to follow the couple's relationship journeys, and delve deeper into the characters involved as individuals. It was so captivating that I felt as if I could really know and interact with the characters.

The writing and acting were, in my opinion, superb. A great film.