Pretend That You Love Me

Joel Haver consistently proves that you can tell great stories--and make great movies--without millions of dollars and dozens of crew. "Pretend That You Love Me" seems to blend reality with fiction, establishing an interesting perspective on what dating is as well as what a movie is.

The unpolished nature of the film makes the.beautifully framed shots and emotional impact all the more powerful.

Whether you are a Joel Haver fan or have no idea who he is, and whether you enjoy zero-budget movies or have never seen one, this is a film worth watching and I have enjoyed rewatching it with friends who had no idea what they were going to see.

I am a big fan of Joel and a big fan of this movie.

This movie is truly heart wrenching. It felt so raw. It was so real. I loved every second of it. Highly recommend.

If you watch the first 10 minutes and it's not your thing i'd understand though this film has had me thinking about it for the past week. I love the wide shots in which the characters are just apart of a beautiful frame.

VERY BIG RECOMMEND

I've been a big fan of Joel for a while, and have watched a few of his films, so I knew on some level what to expect with this. The same cannot be said for my housemate. He's the sort of guy who likes movies on for background noise more than for plot, and is the last person I would expect to sit through anything resembling an 'indie' movie. I expected he would insist I turn this off within 5 minutes, but instead, we both sat there 90 minutes later speechless and with tears in our eyes.

What I'm trying to say is that Joel's filmmaking style is unlike anything I've ever encountered. It is so raw, so unfiltered, and so honest that it doesn't feel like you're watching a movie at all. The lines between fiction and reality are so blurred, and all the performances (if they can even be called that) are so insanely authentic and believable that you really feel you are a fly on the wall of the most intimate moments of these peoples lives.

At times this feels like watching a train wreck in slow motion. It can be agonizingly awkward but for some reason you can't look away. The creativity in which Joel uses the medium to convey such a strong and specific emotion reminds me of the power of indie movies, and how sometimes larger production and budgets can get in the way of emotion, rather than enhance it.

What else can I say. If you love indie movies, you will love this. If you hate them, I think you'll love it to.

This unique little film uses its "one man army production" as a strength, and tells its story through a narrative a larger production would not be able to. Joel Haver is able to tackle his emotional longing for love in a most intimate fashion, by making you aware of himself as a filmmaker making a film. After having followed him on a number of different dates that all unfold in a very similar manner. We get a sense that the whole project is not just "some film", but an experimental process Joel endures in hopes of creating something with a lasting value. As the film continues the somewhat constructed love story crumbles, as Joel is met with a most devastating event, now in need of intimate love more than ever. A beautifully sad and profound film about loneliness that never can be replicated. An experience so honest and raw, that left me hopeful about the future of independent filmmaking. And its on YouTube!!!