The Freebie

As the director's first film, it can be considered an acceptable and average film. Katie Aselton, American director/actress, in her first film, it shows courage. Film shows a 30-year-old couple who have reached an impasse in their sexual relationship and are looking to break free from it. They use the worst method and in this disgusting way they get to trust and believe each other. Aselton's performance in the role of Annie is remarkable and the choice of the male actor for this role was also well done by the director. The film tries to approach realism in its structure, and the closer we get to the end of the film, the dullness of the film decreases. In general, the film does not grab the heart and the boldness of the director is its highlight.

Sometimes, or is it all the time, it seems like the people in charge of selling a movie are working directly in opposition to the original intents and artistic dreams of the actual creative people who make movies. I know that it's the job of distributors to get people to watch a movie they're putting out, I guess by any means necessary. But if they create an ad campaign, a movie poster, or DVD box art which is deliberately misleading as to the actual content of the movie, isn't that just going to either tick or turn people off? Seriously, if you create a sexy, silly cover for an ambitious, serious film, either you're going to a.)disappoint the people attracted to such a cover when they don't get what they were looking for or b.)keep people who would actually like such a film from ever renting it, or c.) both. For example, this film. I didn't watch it, and had no real interest in watching it, essentially based on the cover art and title. (I mean, sure, I was not exactly jazzed to check out the newest Dax Shepard vehicle either, but more on that later...) The title, the tagline, and the cutesy cover with stars Shepard and Katie Aselton all wrapped up in a blanket and giving us a comically-cute 'oops!' look makes it look like a lowbrow, cheesy romantic comedy, and the premise (unhappy couple decides to give each other the titular 'freebie' one-night stand with someone else apiece) is the stuff of lousy guy comedies (see last year's Hall Pass, etc.) But, since I had an undeniably-too-cool-not-to-tell reason to actually watch the thing (I got to interview star/director/writer Aselton) and I have to say The Freebie is really, really good. In addition to starring in this (and the very funny series 'The League'), Aselton is married to indie filmmaker (and co-father of the so-called 'mumblecore' movement) Mark Duplass, and in this, her directorial debut, she shows a real affinity for that genre's improvisational, conversational and emotionally-raw style, and creates a smart, legitimately moving examination of one couple's misguided attempt to sort out their relationship. Shepard and Aselton play Darren and Annie, a genuinely-happy, compulsively-honest couple who admit, one night, that their sex life has become routine. And so the 'one-night stand' plan. What's truly impressive is how organically the premise gets introduced; the two actors so ably create a very specifically-believable couple that you go along with their reasoning, even though you are pretty sure they're making a terrible mistake. That's a credit to the two actors, in more ways than one. I noticed that there are no writing credits listed for The Freebie on IMDb, and none in the movie itself, and Aselton confirmed to me on the phone (that's the last time I name drop, I promise), that, while she wrote her film's outline, the entire thing was improvised. And, while Aselton's background in the mumblecore genre, and the improv-heavy 'The League' reveals that she's got the chops for such an undertaking (and she is heartbreaking, winning, and lovely), the real revelation is Shepard. You might recognize him from comedies of such variable quality as Let's Go to Prison, Idiocracy, Without a Paddle, and Baby Mama, but absolutely nothing in his previous work suggested he could pull something like this off. As the two go through their painful journey into sexual adventurousness and, maybe, back again, the two actors make us care, and empathize, every step of the way, with Aselton's sure hand behind the camera providing sensitive, sure guidance. I popped this DVD in, honestly, out of a sense of obligation and, largely thanks to how it was marketed, absolutely no expectations whatsoever. I finished it with a continued respect for Aselton, a newfound one for Shepard, and a reaffirmed belief that movie marketing is headed up, by and large, by a team of trained chimps with cocaine habits. Ignore the cover, watch the movie.

........... for one short scene !

Katie Aselton has given us a movie that is just one long and mostly uninteresting setup for one short scene. That one short scene with Dax Shepard and Katie Aselton is the grand blowout argument between Annie and Darren in the kitchen. At this point the story is almost over.

Then we jump to the reconciliation scene in the front seat of their auto parked in the driveway. So what you just watched for about 75 minutes comes to a head in the kitchen then fizzles out in the car. Love triumphs!

Then at movies end this couple start the movie all over again by bringing up the topic that almost dissolved their marriage to start with. But with one difference, they are speaking only in hypothetical terms. This is suppose to make it --- OK???

A silly unfunny marriage romp in an unbelievable story!

I'm gonna keep this short: I was impressed with the camera work as it told the story very well. Every shot made me feel more uncomfortable with the subject matter, which is the unrealistic notion that a night off from a stagnant (routine) marriage is the key to rejuvenation. I can't help but think of Dr. Tobias Funke saying, "no, it never works for them...but it could work for us!" It doesn't, it can't and it won't. This story is told very well. I love Katie on the League, and Dax is pretty much playing the same character he does on Parenthood. It works. I would have liked to see a better supporting cast, but the girl from Altamont Now is good. I hope to see her in do more, but I have yet to get thru Blue Mountain State. Thanks for reading.

This movie is advertised as a comedy but it's a drama in all aspects of the word. The way that it was shot reminded me of Eternal Sunshine with a less talented camera operator. A lot of the film looks like its done with a hand-held and there are some choppy edits.. but overall its a worth watching movie.

Some reviews on here say that the script is lacking and there is no point to it.. "a waste of time". It's not, it is a short movie that gives you a glimpse into their lives and the decision that they made.

The end leaves you questioning and lets you decide for yourself what to believe. Not everybody's cup of tea, but it's worth the 77 minutes..