charmanegilly

When I was watching this movie I found it to be overly simple. But it has stayed with me for much longer than almost any other film that came out this year. Wallace is a great person to revisit in 2015 because all his perceptions about America have become true a thousand times over. To revisit a time right before the internet and cell phones went into overdrive is an interesting experience. But to visit it with Wallace is to feel the dread. Jason Segal will not win an Oscar but he should. His portrait of David Foster Wallace is so sweet and goofy and smart that we as the audience want to keep driving with him even though he is sometimes very prickly.

I do not know how this movie worked, but it did. Somehow even though it was yet another Sundance sunnyish take on mental illness, I found the movie staying with me long after. Ruffalo of course is one of our great actors. But that alone does not explain it. Even though it had so many of the Sundance pitfalls in terms of how it was directed and looked and sounded, it was still potent. Zoe Saldana has never been this good before. The two little girls were pretty good. And somehow it managed to come together. The locations were excellent. The art department was excellent. The way the apartments looked and had a character of their own was perhaps the best thing the movie had going for it besides the two leads. It was also nice to see a movie about an interracial couple that was not all about their race. In fact, race was a non issue in the movie. Refreshing.

Did not see this one coming. I knew nothing about it. Billy Crudup is worth the price of renting alone. Even for Crudup, this is a new high. The dialogue and music are sensational. The minimalist long camera takes are refreshing and sublimely lit and framed. Marin Ireland and Corey Stoll and Yul Vasquez are wonderful. It is a little gem. They don't make movies like this anymore. It had some of that roaming quality of Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky. But it is also very tight in it's style. It is a comedy and a drama and a tragedy. An homage to old movies, but modern. It is very real, but also surreal. Just wonderful! If you love independent film you will love this movie I think.