Me and Will

For those old enough to have experienced 'Easyrider', Me and Will holds no new vibes. I think it a true copy of this very famous 1969-movie. It is admitted to be so, by the way. What remains, is enjoying the nice American landscape the two bikers are travelling through. A short study on the differences between Me and Will and Easyrider also provides some entertainment: two girls (1999) against two guys (1969), a deeper explanation of the youth- and drugproblems compared to 1969, and a different death by one of the bikers. In 1969 he is shot, in 1991 she gets an overdose. For the fans of Traci Lords: she has a tiny role as a waitress, and does well.

Here we have a movie with an honest-to-Goddess STORY moving it along. No explosions, no gunfire, no special effects, no car chases. Just a damned good movie about two women who hit the road on their motorcycles, and find their souls while surfing the asphalt.

Melissa Behr and Sherrie Rose [motorcycle enthusiasts in real life] teamed up to write, produce, direct, AND star in ME AND WILL. It's the story of two women, Will and Jane--- burned out from the LA club-and-drug scene---who meet in rehab. They decide to set off on a Holy Mission: To find the chopper ridden by Peter Fonda in EASY RIDER. So they bust out of rehab and point their Harleys toward Montana, where Will is certain the Captain America bike has been stored lo these many years.

Will and Jane struggle with personal demons as they ride. Besides the temptation to use drugs, there are lingering "family of origin" problems which haunt them. Their friendship grows as they open up to each other, help each other, and encounter a variety of unusual---and sometimes frightening---people on the road.

Speaking of the road, get ready for some spectacular scenery. And the road sequences are set to some great tunes; anyone who sees these scenes and isn't tempted to jump on a Harley and head out on that highway probably has their spirit up on blocks.

In the end, things work out as they often do in real life: A spirit-lifting victory, albeit a victory intermingled with a poignant loss. Be sure to watch the credits all the way through, because there's a surprise second ending well worth waiting for…

If this film doesn't go down in history as the female EASY RIDER I'll be very surprised. And disappointed.

Although this type of movie would generally not interest me, I bought the DVD because Billy Wirth was in it. What a shame too, that his appearance was so brief. This actor should receive the recognition he deserves. His unique acting ability is only one of his many talents and his outstanding good looks are incomparable to other, more recognized actors. After viewing "Me and Will", I was glad that I took a chance on it and recommend it for others.

This is a terrible, terrible film. From a completely objective viewpoint (i.e not slagging it off just because it didn't have any guns, fights, gunfights, robots from the future, helicopter gunships, etc in it) the film has one main problem: The plot. It meanders all over the place and at points it seems like bits have been stuck in at random, without making any kind of sense. It does this in a completely non-arty, out of character and overall annoying way. The only saviour of this film is some of the acting which can be pretty good at times. Ok, write-off the two blondes (Will and.. and.. the other one) and many of the other characters but Will's neurotic Mum is great and the random trucker giving them directions is hilarious. Incidentally this is the highlight of the film. Right, back to the rest of the film: The constant sepia shots of the girls on their bikes were INCREDIBLY cheesy and not even in a good kind of way, because only ONE shot is used, this becomes very very annoying. Overall, the lines spouted by the actors are hackneyed and generally garbage without advancing the plot any. Most of the acting itself is either extremely wooden or completely over the top (eg the violent police officer).... I could go on and on. But I won't because I need lunch. General view: If you watch this film, expect to be bored and irritated. Sorry.

I stumbled across this film on the Sundance Channel one night and got hooked right away. It's a simply told, yet amazingly powerful and affecting story about two women who find a common bond, form a friendship and take to the open road on their motorcycles for a journey on which both will confront a few of their personal demons, leading to a poignant yet somewhat uplifting conclusion.

I'm surprised that this movie never made it to theatres. Sherrie Rose and Melissa Behr were already actresses when they got together to write, direct, and star in this film and I look forward to seeing them get back behind the camera again; they are definitely film-makers to watch out for! I hope this movie gets released on video and DVD so that others can discover this simple yet powerful story. ***stars