The Worst Year of My Life

This "love-gone-wrong" story shines. The script rings real, the characters are authentically human, and the narrative momentum is completely effective. Trevor St John David is pitch-perfect as the Kyle, the male lead, through whose pov the story is told. He is modern and believable: capable of higher love, and also of being harmed by love. The pacing, dialogue, and narrative devices all mix together well without too much or too little of anything, like a great recipe, and the flavor is genuinely absorbing and good for your heart. There are some fun devices but mostly this is just excellent writing, a very, very good ear, and some fine performance. Jonathan Smith had a vision; he drew it for you with a sure hand. He is a damned fine story-teller, a talented director and editor (he self-edited), and you will enjoy this film.

As an introspective break-up film with a heart, "The Worst Year of My Life" finds its main character in several relatable situations that make audience mrmbers evaluate their own relationships. Enjoyable and technically impressive in it's directing and editing.

I'm not a relationship-turned-sour movie kind of guy. But the "Worst Year of My Life" was a surprisingly good watch. It moves at a good clip, has clever moments, and solid cinematography and sound. It was evidently made on a shoestring budget, but the production quality is very good and it has a definite indie/art house vibe.

This is the type of film that fits a genre (i.e., "romantic comedy") but that is also completely out of the box.

The two lead actors (Trevor St. John David as "Kyle" and Amy Vorpahl as "Amber") are believably flawed and so not meant for each other. I didn't know which one to hate more -- but they both gave solid performances, and kept my attention. Well played!

"The Worst Year of My Life" is told through the voice and, in many cases, wild imagination of Kyle -- a sucker who gets snubbed by his dream girl after he empties his bank account and 401k savings to fund her dream (a bakery, which she quits after two months and then dumps him).

Ah young love - what idiots we are when passion masks common sense.

Usually I don't comment on direction, but I thought there were so many good creative decisions made in the film that I tip my cap to director Jonathan Smith. The use of the pretty shrink whom Kyle spills his guts to (and in the process shows us his own emotional warts) was well done. After his session ends, Kyle continues to rant to her in his mind (the shrink follows him around and acts as a subconscious Voice of Reason to help Kyle rant and keep his emotions in check).

There are also a few fantasy scenes involving a ripoff of The Dating Game and a Gun Duel -- it's madcap stuff, but effective nonetheless.

I won't get into the story and its gyrations, twist and turns. Just know that if you invest 80 minutes or so in "Worst Year of My Life" it could be one of the more entertaining micro-budget indie films you see this (great) year.

Low budget? Yes! Marginal acting? Yes!

But the scenes are so well edited that just as you start to get a little bored with one scene it changes to keep you watching - in my opinion. Not the best acting nor the greatest script but Trevor St. John David portrayal as Kyle gets you wondering whats going on in his head in his obsession with Amber. Amy Vorpahl as Amber creates a character that is somewhere between charming and psychologically damaged as she uses Kyle for her own self interest and her inability to give back. Kyle suffers and she really doesn't care.

The psychiatrist scenes are all about Kyle and his refusal to look inward to understand why Amber has such a hold upon him and theses scenes certainly help the story move along to the next episode in Kyles relationship with Amber. This movie is listed as a comedy drama but I see it as just a light drama as the laughs are few.

If you are into looking into dysfunctional relationships between supposed 'lovers' this story will keep you interested.