Sneaking Around

Surprisingly strong on such a small budget and never succumbs to the pacing other indie films commit to. The lead Mb Weider does a great job holding down the film, especially with some of the fresher talent. All in all, good camera work and editing but great lighting which caught my eye. I grew up near San Francisco and the sonic atmosphere is the glue, which for me held the momentum of the film. If you're into the melodrama of Rainer Werner Fassbinder films, with a bit less cruelty, this is for you. It is a wonderful study of the unique class dynamic in the silicon valley and the queer experience within it. Also, very small musical selection in it which I loved.

Sometimes you get a little gem from unexpected places. I'm not the seeming target of this film, neither female nor queer, but it still holds intrigue regarding this driven and manipulative character. With a master perfomance by the first time actress Mb Weider. The director shows us other glimpses of SF that are unique to her and seem completely authentic.

The world of this film is queer and female and non-white. As the world actually is and not what Hollywood says.

It has everything great about first time feature director's films. Directors you know will have additional important things to say as her career unfolds.

This film takes a poignant look at marriage, relationships, self discovery, and the discomfort that arises when we're not fully in touch with our wants, needs, and desires. It remind us how sometimes we see things and thus do things in a way that makes ourselves or others feel awkward or embarrassed, but do them nonetheless as part of our journey.

Sneaking Around pulls you into the life of myriad characters who intermingle in the life of Frances, a woman who has become disenchanted with her marriage and who, in testing out the world around her, embarks on a journey that leads her into new territory both physically and emotionally and brings her into better understanding of herself and her marriage.

The story is beautiful told and we are led through the story- and San Francisco -via visceral imagery that makes one feel like the city is a character in itself. The cinematographer did a wonderful job capturing the landscape and essence of the city.

I highly recommend this moving and quirky story to anyone who finds the intricacies of life and people interesting.

Buried in a press release somewhere you will surely find the story of how this movie came about, but I happened to witness it first hand. A young lady knocked on my door one day and asked me for money. She said she was my neighbor. She explained that she was making her first feature film. I did not believe her but she convinced me to part with the price of my dinner that night as a donation. Instead of vanishing into thin air, this Emily Meehan sent out regular updates on the production of this movie as she wrote, directed, and - I learned at the premiere - performed in it. Ashbury Heights, Cole Valley, and the Sunset are all featured in the film, along with some of my other neighbors. She even went to Cannes! I was completely stunned that one young woman pulled this whole thing off apparently without any industry support but with the support and apparent love of ordinary folks from good old SF. But I shouldn't be surprised. People love to hate our city these days, but this is a perfect example of what makes it special, still!

As for Sneaking Around, I don't know why she called it that because no one is sneaking anything (except a possible murder attempt?). They're doing it all right in the open, San Francisco style. It has a unique blend of dark commentary and light hearted humor that I haven't seen in many movies, but of course are the bread and butter of many a series, especially these days. I hope she gets hired to make a tv show about San Francisco.