Dean

We learn at the beginning of the story that a father and his grown son have just lost a wife and mother and are about to begin the grieving process.The father is played by two time Oscar winner Kevin Kline who turns in an outstanding performance. Likewise Dean, the son, is played by Demetri Martin in a excellent break through performance.. So is the director, screenwriter and producer also in the person of Demetri Martin. An important part of the story are single panel cartoons which are interspersed throughout the film and focuses the mood and irony of various situations in the movie. These drawings are also by Demetri Martin. So who is Demetri Martin? He has been a stand up comic for many years, has worked with Conan O'Brien on TV and has published a book of his own cartoons . He is obviously very talented and was able to draw upon his own experience of having lost a parent at a young age and his understanding of the universal search for love combined with a finely honed sense of humor.

Despite the initial premise of the story, this is really not a sad or tearjerker of a story, except the few times that Dean listens to a saved message on his iPhone of his late mom giving him words of encouragement. This is more a story of exploring different ways of grieving, as well as budding love of both a young and older man. It also uses two great exciting American cities that traditionally have been a backdrop for cinematic romance, New York( Brooklyn) and Los Angeles. The two respective women who have stirred the potential of deep romantic feelings in father and son at a time that they were on opposite coasts were Nicky (Gillian Jacobs) and Carol (Mary Steenburgen). Many of Dean's buddies in the movie, are played by actors and comics who have captured the beat of his generation.

The net result of this 87 minute film is a feel good experience which reminds us that the connection between loss and new love is natural and inevitable. We highly recommend this movie. It is funny and poignant with surprising depth. (2017)

This is an excellent movie. If you want to watch the same thing over and over again, then don't bother with Dean. You might want to watch a few episodes of Demetri Martin's Show, Important Things. This movie is an excellent complement to his extremely intelligent and offbeat sense of humor.

The entire cast is strong, but Demetri Gillian Jacobs are especially charming. Their silly love story is satisfying without being a cliche.

More, please!

Seen at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival. Written and directed by Demitri Martin, with a nice role for Kevin Kline. A nice mixture of laugh-out-loud humor, but also a surprising melancholy pervades throughout the film. Martin's very clever drawings take a central role in the movie, too. This is a story that isn't new or groundbreaking, but Martin infuses it with his own wit and wisdom, and the results are a very enjoyable and thoughtful first feature. Highly recommended.

First of all, writing, directing and starring in a project is never too easy even if you're surrounded by such talented group of people. Yet, Demitri Martin handles it really good and brings a really beautiful tone to this movie. Even though, it is actually a very personal story it does not alienates you and tells it with such warm and realistic way. The one most stood out was how the illustrations summed up the some of the scenes or how used as an interlude between ones. Totally recommend this beautiful and highly relatable story!

I had the privilege of meeting Demetri Martin for the first time in this movie. Written, acted, directed and visuals. Which perhaps gives me a perspective not tainted by expectations or comparisons. I found the slow burn dry humour wonderfully fresh and exceptionally entertaining. The movie is well balanced and never goes down a rabbit hole of grief, awkwardness, friendship or life. Like a mini-golf game, the ball circles these holes masterfully and skillfully. This is a family movie without the grit in the eye and smut that clutters our screens so frequently. The soundtrack was spot-on and my 18-year-old daughter connected to the movie through this angle. In all, a good movie with a good simple story masterfully crafted. I will follow Demetri with keen interest from now on. He stirred my Woody Allen genes, which says a lot about the level his talent is benchmarked at. By me, that is. A pleasant saturday evening movie with a nice glass of Pinot.