Dorfman

When Deb Dorfman (Sara Rue) house sits for a friend, her life changes forever. Her dad (Elliot Gould) has tried setting her up, but it doesn't seem to ever work out. Her married brother is a mess, and drags her into it. And now she has to house sit for a friend's cat. And it hates her. Will Deb ever get her own life figured out? Maybe she and her new next door neighbor can help each other. It's fun. Kind of feels like this was someone's own life story. Directed by Brad Leong, who has directed four films to date.... two of those were short films. Story by Wendy Kout,who was also a writer on mork and mindy in the 1980s. That's awesome! Blast from the past.

As a love letter to modern L.A. it does a great job, though with less nuance than, say, L.A. Story. Sara Rue is likable in the eponymous role, and she grows quite a lot in the film though rather more quickly than is credible and in a fairly predictable way. Her take on the "I have no filter" character is convincing, but the character itself is a little hackneyed. Her costar Haz Sleiman (Cookie) is very very good. The secondary characters are mainly OK though generally not believable as humans.

Unfortunately, Elliott Gould -- one of my very favorite actors - gives what has to be the worst performance of his career. His dialogue is full of clichés about old Jewish men of at least half-a-generation above him, the lines coming out of his mouth do not fit him at all, and he is obviously aware of this as he delivers them. As he has by far the strongest presence of any actor in the movie he dominates every scene in which he appears, and the movie suffers as a result.

From the description this could have just been simple Hallmark fare, but it has more to offer than that. It is worth watching if you're looking for an uncomplicated, reasonably funny urban romance, and willing to overlook the main plot line and some of the worst dialogue excesses while keeping an eye out for the great visuals and some of the genuinely funny interactions between Rue and minor characters like Bubba Ganter, Sonya Eddy and the wonderful Tonita Castro.

I really enjoyed watching Dorfman in Love. I could kind of relate with the main character as being quirky and a little insecure. The story was very realistic unlike many love stories that seem so extreme.

It was a feel good movie that in the end puts a smile on your face. Being a native Californian, it was nice to see the revamped Downtown Los Angeles area being displayed throughout the film. The music was fitting and from local Californian artists.

I would definitely recommend having a girls' night in and enjoying this film.

The film was well written and executed!

Such a fun movie!!! Fantastic cast and lots of laughs. An inspiring story told beautifully, with an insider's peek at the coolest places in downtown LA.

If you live in LA or ever intend to visit and haven't seen this movie, you are seriously missing out.

I've lived in LA my whole life and was so excited to learn about hidden gems I never knew about before.

And the chemistry between Elliot Gould and Sara Rue is terrific. Gould is hysterical, as always, and Rue comes out of her shell like never before.

Highly recommend. Good times for all.

There's always an uplifting feeling when we see someone (even a fictional a character) find the courage to be true to themselves. It's something we all aspire to do. Dorfman will not disappoint in this regard. Sara Rue (Deb) becomes a whole person and we get to take part. Sara really delivers here and should find more star vehicles. Deb leaves the safety of the San Fernando Valley to explore the unknown of a revitalized downtown Los Angeles-not an easy transition for her. In five short days she begins to understand she's more than an enabling sister and daughter but a real person entitled to her own space and feelings. You'll never be able to look at Elliot Gould the same way again. He's great as a truly loving father who still has the potential to grow and enjoy life. Haz Sleiman is great, simply great. His character Cookie comes off as almost too good to be true and still authentic. I enjoyed the film and would recommend it to everyone.