This Is My Year

Loved this film - it made me feel like I was privy to a peek behind the curtain of an aspirational Hollywood success journey. Although the 'make it in Hollywood' theme is familiar, this is an entirely new take on it. The dialogue is humorous and authentic and made me feel like I had a vested interest in their collective successes. The acting is great across the board, and the solid cinematography shows that you don't need a Michael Bay budget (or copious amounts of unnaturally orange explosions) to shoot a beautiful film.

This is a movie that could so easily be dismissed in the flotsam that washes up on Amazon Prime, but that would be an unfair dismissal. What could so easily have been an exploitative and airheaded account of a pretty actress's year of breaking into Hollywood, is a surprisingly tough and deep look at the price of fame in a highly competitive industry, but one that retain a light touch.

The leads are excellent and even the supporting cast well fleshed out. The arrival of RJ Haynes as the midpoint character, the lead's slacker older brother, is particularly welcome in providing a warm and comic injection. I especially liked the subplot of the famous actress and her downward arc as presented on the E!-Like Hollywood gossip channel that the characters watch throughout the movie.

I understand the one location used for the film is the director's apartment. This sums up the shoestring budget but the filmmakers really impress in injecting the film with so much spirit and interest that I didn't really mind the limitations of the budget at all. The film felt real in a way many higher budget films don't.

All in all, a really refreshing and thoughtful comedy about Hollywood entryism.

This movie is awesome, reminds me of my LA experience- and there's a great Sum 41 joke, which not many movies can say

It was really very enjoyable. It shows what I can imagine being a very difficult and scary time for someone moving to LA and trying so hard to succeed. The comedy mixed in nicely with the story. RandP

This movie is a great little indie film with funny writing and solid acting. It follows a young woman as she gives herself one last shot to make it in Hollywood -- perhaps because I have friends in the entertainment industry, I found the story very relatable. It's charming, likable, and an exceedingly pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.