Medias Res

Full of directorial spunk and earnest performances, this film scratches at some itches we don't see too often these days.

The story of Dave is at once triumphant and pitiful; he's an everyman whom we all can relate to in some way. Maybe we haven't lived out of our cars, or maybe we haven't been forced into doing weird drugs, but the sincerity Dave possesses during every stage of trying to get his life on the right track makes him an incredibly likable character. Quite simply, we want him to succeed (this is an element very important to me when judging a film. To be concise, the strength of a character is based on his/her complexity, and this film absolutely delivers in this category.).

Additionally, the vivid color palette is a welcome choice, harking back to oversaturated palettes of the late 1990s, and giving the film a refreshingly sleek look amidst a superabundance of modern filmmaking which only utilizes browns, oranges, and blues. Every frame of this film is set up to be interesting -- one particular standout sequence has such intensity and momentum that I actually said "wow" out loud. All of this is a direct result of filmmakers who have a clear vision and execute it well.

Quite honestly, the story could use a bit more focus at times, but that does not detract from the overall success of this film -- this is a group of artists who obviously care about their craft, and frankly, I am excited to see what their future projects have in store.