CHVRCHES and Delta Rae/Jillette Johnson shows and "No Country for Old Men"
Another week has gone by and, yes, I have been keeping up with my film project, sometimes I just find the time to sit down and write hard to actually hard to find, as I've become exhausted by the end of the night. Plus, I've been going out, still. Tuesday night, I drove down to Boston to see CHVRCHES (and I realized that it was back in June that I saw them at the Paradise in Boston, a sold out show even without an album out). Tuesday, they were playing a bigger venue- House of Blues. They had a decent crowd there to support them. They didn't play their cover of Prince's "I Would Die 4 U" in their encore, instead they opted for a new song to end their show. It was a great show, but I think the bigger venue took away from the energy when I first saw them, in the small club. I really think these guys are going to blow up (more than they have) in the next couple of months. Watch for them!
Friday night, I stuck around Portland and went to a show at Port City Music Hall (easily, one of my favorite places to see a show these days, and not just because it's right down the street from my apartment- the atmosphere is great). I got a ticket to Delta Rae (a small band, really blowing up in recent months, from North Carolina that consists of 3 blonde haired siblings and 2 other members). I'd heard their song "Bottom of the River" months ago and really enjoyed their sound. Then, they put out another single for "If I Loved You" and I was sold on them. The ticket was only $13, so I thought, what the hell. And, oh my God! What an amazing show. The opening act was a girl named Jillette Johnson. It was just her and a keyboard and/or guitar. Her voice was absolutely amazing, enchanting. I kept thinking, Man, can that girl sing! In fact, when I got home after the show (which ended kind of early, for me, 10:15) I immediately downloaded her album.
And then, Delta Rae came out and really rocked the small venue (which was filled with a more older crowd than I was expecting, in fact, I was actually surprised how many people were there, I mean, the place was packed, I'll say nearly sold out, and I waited on buying a ticket until the day before because I didn't think it would be a very popular show- I was proven wrong, and I'm glad, because these guys deserve the attention they're getting. They were incredible. Great songs, great tempo. With only one album out (working on a second), they of course pulled out a few covers: Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" (which was an incredible version, and very fitting for them, because I didn't get a Mac vibe from them, in their sound) and The Beatles' "Oh Darling" (with each member trading vocals on each verse, and they even brought out Jillette Johnson to share the stage and vocal duties). This band blown my mind away live, which is one of the reasons why I love going to shows of little known bands (even little known to me) because you never know what to expect. I wish I had a setlist for you, but check out these videos. Oh yeah, and for the encore, the band came out for the side of the venue (in the bar area) and then played their final song literally right next to me, after hushing the crowd, for an intimate version of "Hey Hey Hey" like I imagine old barn-storming days of country-folk shows, something that maybe Mumford and Sons or the Lumineers would have done in their earlier days (for a modern reference). I got to touch each member on the shoulders as they passed by and thanked them for an amazing show. You could that they genuinely appreciated the crowd's love and reactions and energy. This is what great shows are made of, not the highly overpriced tickets to be miles away from the performer.
.......................................................
Film 259
"No Country for Old Men"
starring: Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald
written and directed by: The Coen Brothers
I read Cormac McCarthy's novel awhile back, before I saw the movie in the theater when it first came out. I loved it back then, thanks in large part to the Coen Brothers knowing that McCarthy's words were perfect the first time in print and they did an amazing job bringing his words to life on the screen.
Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Bell, a man on the verge of retirement or simply just walking away from the profession that has consumed his life, when he becomes involved in one last case, a case that sends him on a manhunt or more like a wild goose chase. I think Jones was the perfect casting choice because he delivers all his lines with a sense of dryness and hope(fulness) that maybe shouldn't exactly be there, given all the shit he's seen in his life. In fact, his opening monologue about a teenage boy who kills his girlfriend because he can and wanted to, really sets up the rest of the film. McCarthy's villain in the story is Anton Chigurh: a completely evil man, a merciless guy whom you have to wonder why in the world he would be allowed to live and do the things he does. He is sort of like the reincarnation of the title character from Albert Camus' "The Stranger." He does his deeds because he can and wants to, much like The Stranger killed an Arab because "the sun was in his eyes." Javier Bardem plays Chigurh with such ease and perfection that he sets the bar extremely high for anyone else playing a downright evil villain in films (re: Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" is one of the only other equal performances I can think of in recent years). Chigurh travels through Texas looking for his stolen/lost money, killing several people along the way. He walks around questioning and interrogating assumed witnesses, whom he then kills with ease (both physically philosophically) by the tank holding compressed air and a cattle shotgun. I absolutely love the scene between Chigurh and an old man running a gas station. The dialogue is nearly perfect. Chigurh decides who to kill with the flip of a coin, claiming that all situations and decisions are predetermined, perhaps by fate (fate represented by a coin). He later comes in contact with Carla Jean (played by Kelly Mcdonald), who is Llewelyn Moss' wife and she almost makes him question his decision-making process. She challenges him, but ultimately comes out the loser, anyways; she just prolongs the inevitable, so to speak.
The other major player in this film/story is Llewelyn Moss (played greatly by Josh Brolin). He is a poor man who comes across a drug deal that has gone terribly wrong, with everyone involved ending up dead. He finds a suitcase filled with $2 million and he takes it. Who wouldn't?
If you haven't seen this one, first, you should feel ashamed, and then, you should run to watch it. No excuses.
...............................................................
Film 260
"See Girl Run"
starring: Robin Tunney and Adam Scott
written and directed by: Nate Meyer
I wanted so much for this small, indie film because much of it was filmed in Maine. Portland to be exact. In fact, Adam Scott's character works at "the Porthole." It's a small movie, soft, sensitive film about a thirtysomething woman, Emmie (played by Robin Tunney), who is having somewhat of a mid-life crisis, in terms of her marriage. It's kind of stale. Her husband, Graham (played by Josh Hamilton), seems like a decent guy who loves his wife, but the passion just is no longer there.
For some reason, Jason (Adam Scott's character) has inspired Emmie to "escape" her marriage, for the moment, and take a road trip, because in her mind they never actually broke up- they just went their separate ways, off to college. She goes on a road trip back to her small, hometown in Maine, where Jason is...waiting. Emmie sort of obsesses over what could have been and she seems lost in the ennui of marriage, because it's just not what she expected it to be. She wonders what would have happened if she and Jason had stayed together, or what if they got back together, so that's why she goes home.
This is a film for a specific demographic, for a specific crowd- those contemplating the difference between reality (in terms of relationships) and those that we have been driven to believe exist, through pop culture- expectations set a bit too high. Perhaps relationships have been put on a pedestal and therefore will only lead to disappointment. Kudos, to the writer/director Nate Meyer, for choosing Maine's overcast coastal town of Portland, to match the mood of the story.
The difference between Emmie and Jason is that Emmie has become a grownup, for all intents and purposes, that has come from simply moving out of her small, hometown. Jason, on the other hand, is still wrapped up in childish/childhood hopes and dreams. He's in a relationship when we meet him, with a decent girl who loves him despite his shortcomings, but that doesn't work because, as we all grow up, woman realize they don't want to be someone's mother, they want a partner. Jason still fixates on his childhood love of frogs- he paints them, he draws them, etc.
Compared to other films around the same topic (re: "Beautiful Girls" which is still one of my favorite films of all time), "See Girl Run" is a bit thin and dry. You are moved by Emmie's journey of self-discovery, and yet you don't feel manipulated by the story or filmmaker. It's not a feel-good movie, by any means. The film doesn't present love and/or relationships as a fantasy to be strived for. I have been known to spend a lot of time contemplating old relationships and wondering what exactly happened that led to their demise, a lot of questioning (myself), because at some point don't you have to start thinking that maybe you are the problem in the equations. We should all spend time being self-reflective, in order to learn from our pasts, but not so much that it destroys our ability to build lasting relationships with others. Missed opportunities, as I like to think of them, in my life.
I enjoyed this film for the downer that it is. You have to be in a certain mood to appreciate it, I think.
...................................................................
Film 261
"Hard Breakers"
starring: Sophie Monk and Cameron Richardson
directed by: Leah Sturgis
As I watched this film I thought two things:
1) How the hell did a film as bad as this actually get greenlit and then made and distributed
2) Does everyone know it's as bad as it is and they are actually making fun of themselves the entire film (I mean, the acting is absolutely terrible, sorry ladies, but even your beautiful blonde looks cannot save me from hating on this- and there are even lame sound effects throughout that seem more fitting for those awful B movies or sitcoms--- re: one girl elbows the other girl in the boobs and there's a sound effect for it)
Okay, yes, I can see that it is attempting to be somewhat of a feminist film as its main characters turn the tide of dating/well, screwing for fun, really into a more female-controlled game. It's definitely an out-there approach that never really works. Perhaps if Gregg Araki would have directed it, it could've worked better. Here, we have two beach-bum, I don't know how they make their money, girls who are every bit as dumb as they are beautiful (okay, I think I figured it out, they've survived on their hotness all this time), who are looking for casual sex from guys who are willing to do the deed, satisfy them and then just leave. Alexis (Cameron Richardson) and Lindsay (Sophie Monk) are the two beach bums who layabout Alexis' dad's beach house complaining about men these days. They concoct a plan which involves finding "targets" and knocking them over the head, bringing them back to their house, nursing them back to health, and having sex with them. Oh, girls! Where are you? I mean, I think I could handle a bump on the head, for you.
I cannot in good conscience, recommend this film because it is just terribly made. I appreciate what it attempted to do: gender reversal. But, seriously, is everyone having too much fun not really giving a shit in this film?
............................................................................
Film 262
"Conception"
starring (alphabetically): Pamela Adlin, David Arquette, Aaron Ashmore, Moon Bloodgood, Julie Bowen, Connie Britton, Jennifer Finnigan, Tim Griffin, Steve Howey, Sarah Hyland, Jennifer Jostyn, Leil Leigh, Jason Mantzoukas, America OlivioLeah Pipes, Matt Prokop, Jonathon Silverman, Gregory Smith, Alan Tudyk
written and directed by: Josh Stolberg
Here's a film that has several parts (9 to be exact- since the film focuses on telling us the story of how 9 different, and unconnected couples conceive) which unfortunately falls short of equaling its whole. I think the idea of having 9 different couples was diluting for writer/director Stolberg, especially since the characters never meet or have brief encounters with each other. That would have made the entire film transition better from story-to-story instead of his split screen approach, since it all takes place over the course of one night, with these 9 couples. Nine, as a general rule of thumb, I think, for films as brief as this one was (just falling short of an hour and a half), nine is too many characters to devote an entire film. Nine would be slightly more appropriate for a TV show, but even that is a stretch. Nine couple (that's actually 18 people!) is far too many for any audience to get involved with, to develop a sense of knowing them as individuals and as a couple. It takes away from a person's ability to relate to characters, because the film has to jump from story to story, perhaps in crucial moments when something good is developing and then it's cut short. I think, as a writer, Stolberg should have taken his rewrites (hopefully) as a time to look at each couple and he should have been able to see which couples the story really focused on, which characters were the most important ingredients to telling the story effectively. I think this is unfortunately a case of a writer/director believing everything he wrote is essential to the story, but even I've learned over the years that less can actually be more. And I wonder why nobody else told him that.
I think it was simply the fact that there were too many characters is the only thing detracting from the film, because Stolberg provides great, authentic dialogue and there were definitely good moments of comic timing between a few of the couples. It's the kind of film that you maybe don't expect to be good, but it genuinely surprises you with its decency. It's an authentic film with an interesting story. It definitely had its moments of being funny, too. I did laugh out loud a couple of times, to myself.
"Conception" answers the age old question (from an elementary classroom filled with curious kids): Where do babies come from?
That's such a great, deeper question than I think kids know and only adults can appreciate. Stolberg, as a writer, sees this question as an opportunity to dissect the human condition and human nature. The film examines more wholly the entire question: where do babies come from?- well, relationships, environments, fights, passions, the actual act of sex, and the idiosyncrasies. I love that he takes this approach. It's much more philosophical. Because, let's be honest, it's not just about sex. Yes, a couple has to have sex, and only sex, in order to conceive of a baby- But, sex comes from being together and seeing each other through everything else that comes with being in a relationship, and we see all of this with each couple, in a way.
There's a young, teenage couple looking forward to losing their virginity to each other, but they are a mismatched couple and the girl (Sarah Hyland) knows this (perhaps before, but definitely after the act). There's a condition to their sex: the boy needs to give up eating meat, for her. He does- but wouldn't any teenage boy in the hopes and under the promise of sex? Their story was sweet, but brief and could've been left out.
There's a married couple who seem to have lost their spark and passion, or in simpler terms: romance. They go to bed together, reading in bed. They bicker over the idea of "doing it." They are the "every couple." This couple is played well, however briefly they are on screen, by Jonathon Silverman and Jennifer Finnigan (who looks a lot like Judy Greer). Theirs is a story that I would have liked to see more of because I think a lot of couples could perhaps relate to it. Unfortunately, they don't get a decent amount of time. Sure, they promise each other sex in the morning, but Silverman's character, you can tell, really isn't holding on to that hope. So, he sure is surprised when he wakes up and his wife heads to the bathroom to brush her teeth and pee, only to return in some sexy lingerie. That's the stuff romance is made of.
Then, there's a couple dealing with fertility treatments and conditions. This couple is played so well by Connie Britton (always great in just about everything) and Jason Mantzoukas. Their story, perhaps unsurprisingly, provides for most of the comedy. Their interactions with each other is mostly just banter back and forth that you can see a couple who've been together for awhile can do. They got some screen time, but again, certainly not enough, especially since this is the kind of stuff that is, yes again, relatable to an audience. They could have even been made the main focus of the film and built it up from there.
The other pivotal, relatable couple is Gwen and Mark, who are about six-weeks after the birth of their first child. Gwen has been slightly, perhaps internally, traumatized by the entire process of birth, rightly so, and Mark wants to get some intimacy back. He wants to have sex. It's an interesting look into the dynamic between guys and ladies postpartum, and might even hit the nail on the head when it comes to the differences between men and women, as it relates to sex and birth. Theirs is definitely a story that could have filled an entire film and it seemed like they got the most screen time out of the nine.
The other couples include:
1) Julie Bowen as a cougar-ish/MILF who is playing around with her boytoy before her teenage daughter returns from spring break.
2) a lesbian couple on the night of their attempt at artificial insemination
3) two people on a blind date that ends up at his apartment, and they of course have sex on the floor, since he's moved in recently and there are boxes everywhere
4) another couple on the verge of breaking up because he has "stolen" money from their shared bank account, and she comes home literally swinging (a bat)
5) an incredibly passionate and quirky couple that includes a girl that wants her man to shower before getting into bed, which leads to them showering together (and of course, sex) and her asking him why he loves her- His answer is great, by the way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this film, even though I wanted it to be much more focused.
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Friday night, I stuck around Portland and went to a show at Port City Music Hall (easily, one of my favorite places to see a show these days, and not just because it's right down the street from my apartment- the atmosphere is great). I got a ticket to Delta Rae (a small band, really blowing up in recent months, from North Carolina that consists of 3 blonde haired siblings and 2 other members). I'd heard their song "Bottom of the River" months ago and really enjoyed their sound. Then, they put out another single for "If I Loved You" and I was sold on them. The ticket was only $13, so I thought, what the hell. And, oh my God! What an amazing show. The opening act was a girl named Jillette Johnson. It was just her and a keyboard and/or guitar. Her voice was absolutely amazing, enchanting. I kept thinking, Man, can that girl sing! In fact, when I got home after the show (which ended kind of early, for me, 10:15) I immediately downloaded her album.
And then, Delta Rae came out and really rocked the small venue (which was filled with a more older crowd than I was expecting, in fact, I was actually surprised how many people were there, I mean, the place was packed, I'll say nearly sold out, and I waited on buying a ticket until the day before because I didn't think it would be a very popular show- I was proven wrong, and I'm glad, because these guys deserve the attention they're getting. They were incredible. Great songs, great tempo. With only one album out (working on a second), they of course pulled out a few covers: Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" (which was an incredible version, and very fitting for them, because I didn't get a Mac vibe from them, in their sound) and The Beatles' "Oh Darling" (with each member trading vocals on each verse, and they even brought out Jillette Johnson to share the stage and vocal duties). This band blown my mind away live, which is one of the reasons why I love going to shows of little known bands (even little known to me) because you never know what to expect. I wish I had a setlist for you, but check out these videos. Oh yeah, and for the encore, the band came out for the side of the venue (in the bar area) and then played their final song literally right next to me, after hushing the crowd, for an intimate version of "Hey Hey Hey" like I imagine old barn-storming days of country-folk shows, something that maybe Mumford and Sons or the Lumineers would have done in their earlier days (for a modern reference). I got to touch each member on the shoulders as they passed by and thanked them for an amazing show. You could that they genuinely appreciated the crowd's love and reactions and energy. This is what great shows are made of, not the highly overpriced tickets to be miles away from the performer.
.......................................................
Film 259
"No Country for Old Men"
starring: Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald
written and directed by: The Coen Brothers
I read Cormac McCarthy's novel awhile back, before I saw the movie in the theater when it first came out. I loved it back then, thanks in large part to the Coen Brothers knowing that McCarthy's words were perfect the first time in print and they did an amazing job bringing his words to life on the screen.
Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Bell, a man on the verge of retirement or simply just walking away from the profession that has consumed his life, when he becomes involved in one last case, a case that sends him on a manhunt or more like a wild goose chase. I think Jones was the perfect casting choice because he delivers all his lines with a sense of dryness and hope(fulness) that maybe shouldn't exactly be there, given all the shit he's seen in his life. In fact, his opening monologue about a teenage boy who kills his girlfriend because he can and wanted to, really sets up the rest of the film. McCarthy's villain in the story is Anton Chigurh: a completely evil man, a merciless guy whom you have to wonder why in the world he would be allowed to live and do the things he does. He is sort of like the reincarnation of the title character from Albert Camus' "The Stranger." He does his deeds because he can and wants to, much like The Stranger killed an Arab because "the sun was in his eyes." Javier Bardem plays Chigurh with such ease and perfection that he sets the bar extremely high for anyone else playing a downright evil villain in films (re: Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" is one of the only other equal performances I can think of in recent years). Chigurh travels through Texas looking for his stolen/lost money, killing several people along the way. He walks around questioning and interrogating assumed witnesses, whom he then kills with ease (both physically philosophically) by the tank holding compressed air and a cattle shotgun. I absolutely love the scene between Chigurh and an old man running a gas station. The dialogue is nearly perfect. Chigurh decides who to kill with the flip of a coin, claiming that all situations and decisions are predetermined, perhaps by fate (fate represented by a coin). He later comes in contact with Carla Jean (played by Kelly Mcdonald), who is Llewelyn Moss' wife and she almost makes him question his decision-making process. She challenges him, but ultimately comes out the loser, anyways; she just prolongs the inevitable, so to speak.
The other major player in this film/story is Llewelyn Moss (played greatly by Josh Brolin). He is a poor man who comes across a drug deal that has gone terribly wrong, with everyone involved ending up dead. He finds a suitcase filled with $2 million and he takes it. Who wouldn't?
"The $2 million turns out to be easier to obtain than to keep. Moss tries hiding in obscure hotels. Scenes are meticulously constructed in which each man knows the other is nearby. Moss can run but he can't hide. Chigurh always tracks him down. He shadows him like his doom, never hurrying, always moving at the same measured pace, like a pursuer in a nightmare.
This movie is a masterful evocation of time, place, character, moral choices, immoral certainties, human nature and fate."
Here is a movie made by filmmakers who love their characters, pity them, and definitely has an ear for the dialogue that they share with each other. The words that they all speak are almost too good to be true. It's like they were dreamt up and put to paper, and then put on screen for everyone to witness. Sometimes the Coen Brothers swing and miss with their intent when making a film. A couple of times, they've hit homeruns- way out of the park, into the parking lot. "Fargo" is one explain. "No Country for Old Men" is a miracle to filmmaking because they've hit another homerun.If you haven't seen this one, first, you should feel ashamed, and then, you should run to watch it. No excuses.
...............................................................
Film 260
"See Girl Run"
starring: Robin Tunney and Adam Scott
written and directed by: Nate Meyer
I wanted so much for this small, indie film because much of it was filmed in Maine. Portland to be exact. In fact, Adam Scott's character works at "the Porthole." It's a small movie, soft, sensitive film about a thirtysomething woman, Emmie (played by Robin Tunney), who is having somewhat of a mid-life crisis, in terms of her marriage. It's kind of stale. Her husband, Graham (played by Josh Hamilton), seems like a decent guy who loves his wife, but the passion just is no longer there.
For some reason, Jason (Adam Scott's character) has inspired Emmie to "escape" her marriage, for the moment, and take a road trip, because in her mind they never actually broke up- they just went their separate ways, off to college. She goes on a road trip back to her small, hometown in Maine, where Jason is...waiting. Emmie sort of obsesses over what could have been and she seems lost in the ennui of marriage, because it's just not what she expected it to be. She wonders what would have happened if she and Jason had stayed together, or what if they got back together, so that's why she goes home.
This is a film for a specific demographic, for a specific crowd- those contemplating the difference between reality (in terms of relationships) and those that we have been driven to believe exist, through pop culture- expectations set a bit too high. Perhaps relationships have been put on a pedestal and therefore will only lead to disappointment. Kudos, to the writer/director Nate Meyer, for choosing Maine's overcast coastal town of Portland, to match the mood of the story.
The difference between Emmie and Jason is that Emmie has become a grownup, for all intents and purposes, that has come from simply moving out of her small, hometown. Jason, on the other hand, is still wrapped up in childish/childhood hopes and dreams. He's in a relationship when we meet him, with a decent girl who loves him despite his shortcomings, but that doesn't work because, as we all grow up, woman realize they don't want to be someone's mother, they want a partner. Jason still fixates on his childhood love of frogs- he paints them, he draws them, etc.
Compared to other films around the same topic (re: "Beautiful Girls" which is still one of my favorite films of all time), "See Girl Run" is a bit thin and dry. You are moved by Emmie's journey of self-discovery, and yet you don't feel manipulated by the story or filmmaker. It's not a feel-good movie, by any means. The film doesn't present love and/or relationships as a fantasy to be strived for. I have been known to spend a lot of time contemplating old relationships and wondering what exactly happened that led to their demise, a lot of questioning (myself), because at some point don't you have to start thinking that maybe you are the problem in the equations. We should all spend time being self-reflective, in order to learn from our pasts, but not so much that it destroys our ability to build lasting relationships with others. Missed opportunities, as I like to think of them, in my life.
I enjoyed this film for the downer that it is. You have to be in a certain mood to appreciate it, I think.
...................................................................
Film 261
"Hard Breakers"
starring: Sophie Monk and Cameron Richardson
directed by: Leah Sturgis
As I watched this film I thought two things:
1) How the hell did a film as bad as this actually get greenlit and then made and distributed
2) Does everyone know it's as bad as it is and they are actually making fun of themselves the entire film (I mean, the acting is absolutely terrible, sorry ladies, but even your beautiful blonde looks cannot save me from hating on this- and there are even lame sound effects throughout that seem more fitting for those awful B movies or sitcoms--- re: one girl elbows the other girl in the boobs and there's a sound effect for it)
Okay, yes, I can see that it is attempting to be somewhat of a feminist film as its main characters turn the tide of dating/well, screwing for fun, really into a more female-controlled game. It's definitely an out-there approach that never really works. Perhaps if Gregg Araki would have directed it, it could've worked better. Here, we have two beach-bum, I don't know how they make their money, girls who are every bit as dumb as they are beautiful (okay, I think I figured it out, they've survived on their hotness all this time), who are looking for casual sex from guys who are willing to do the deed, satisfy them and then just leave. Alexis (Cameron Richardson) and Lindsay (Sophie Monk) are the two beach bums who layabout Alexis' dad's beach house complaining about men these days. They concoct a plan which involves finding "targets" and knocking them over the head, bringing them back to their house, nursing them back to health, and having sex with them. Oh, girls! Where are you? I mean, I think I could handle a bump on the head, for you.
I cannot in good conscience, recommend this film because it is just terribly made. I appreciate what it attempted to do: gender reversal. But, seriously, is everyone having too much fun not really giving a shit in this film?
............................................................................
Film 262
"Conception"
starring (alphabetically): Pamela Adlin, David Arquette, Aaron Ashmore, Moon Bloodgood, Julie Bowen, Connie Britton, Jennifer Finnigan, Tim Griffin, Steve Howey, Sarah Hyland, Jennifer Jostyn, Leil Leigh, Jason Mantzoukas, America OlivioLeah Pipes, Matt Prokop, Jonathon Silverman, Gregory Smith, Alan Tudyk
written and directed by: Josh Stolberg
Here's a film that has several parts (9 to be exact- since the film focuses on telling us the story of how 9 different, and unconnected couples conceive) which unfortunately falls short of equaling its whole. I think the idea of having 9 different couples was diluting for writer/director Stolberg, especially since the characters never meet or have brief encounters with each other. That would have made the entire film transition better from story-to-story instead of his split screen approach, since it all takes place over the course of one night, with these 9 couples. Nine, as a general rule of thumb, I think, for films as brief as this one was (just falling short of an hour and a half), nine is too many characters to devote an entire film. Nine would be slightly more appropriate for a TV show, but even that is a stretch. Nine couple (that's actually 18 people!) is far too many for any audience to get involved with, to develop a sense of knowing them as individuals and as a couple. It takes away from a person's ability to relate to characters, because the film has to jump from story to story, perhaps in crucial moments when something good is developing and then it's cut short. I think, as a writer, Stolberg should have taken his rewrites (hopefully) as a time to look at each couple and he should have been able to see which couples the story really focused on, which characters were the most important ingredients to telling the story effectively. I think this is unfortunately a case of a writer/director believing everything he wrote is essential to the story, but even I've learned over the years that less can actually be more. And I wonder why nobody else told him that.
I think it was simply the fact that there were too many characters is the only thing detracting from the film, because Stolberg provides great, authentic dialogue and there were definitely good moments of comic timing between a few of the couples. It's the kind of film that you maybe don't expect to be good, but it genuinely surprises you with its decency. It's an authentic film with an interesting story. It definitely had its moments of being funny, too. I did laugh out loud a couple of times, to myself.
"Conception" answers the age old question (from an elementary classroom filled with curious kids): Where do babies come from?
That's such a great, deeper question than I think kids know and only adults can appreciate. Stolberg, as a writer, sees this question as an opportunity to dissect the human condition and human nature. The film examines more wholly the entire question: where do babies come from?- well, relationships, environments, fights, passions, the actual act of sex, and the idiosyncrasies. I love that he takes this approach. It's much more philosophical. Because, let's be honest, it's not just about sex. Yes, a couple has to have sex, and only sex, in order to conceive of a baby- But, sex comes from being together and seeing each other through everything else that comes with being in a relationship, and we see all of this with each couple, in a way.
There's a young, teenage couple looking forward to losing their virginity to each other, but they are a mismatched couple and the girl (Sarah Hyland) knows this (perhaps before, but definitely after the act). There's a condition to their sex: the boy needs to give up eating meat, for her. He does- but wouldn't any teenage boy in the hopes and under the promise of sex? Their story was sweet, but brief and could've been left out.
There's a married couple who seem to have lost their spark and passion, or in simpler terms: romance. They go to bed together, reading in bed. They bicker over the idea of "doing it." They are the "every couple." This couple is played well, however briefly they are on screen, by Jonathon Silverman and Jennifer Finnigan (who looks a lot like Judy Greer). Theirs is a story that I would have liked to see more of because I think a lot of couples could perhaps relate to it. Unfortunately, they don't get a decent amount of time. Sure, they promise each other sex in the morning, but Silverman's character, you can tell, really isn't holding on to that hope. So, he sure is surprised when he wakes up and his wife heads to the bathroom to brush her teeth and pee, only to return in some sexy lingerie. That's the stuff romance is made of.
Then, there's a couple dealing with fertility treatments and conditions. This couple is played so well by Connie Britton (always great in just about everything) and Jason Mantzoukas. Their story, perhaps unsurprisingly, provides for most of the comedy. Their interactions with each other is mostly just banter back and forth that you can see a couple who've been together for awhile can do. They got some screen time, but again, certainly not enough, especially since this is the kind of stuff that is, yes again, relatable to an audience. They could have even been made the main focus of the film and built it up from there.
The other pivotal, relatable couple is Gwen and Mark, who are about six-weeks after the birth of their first child. Gwen has been slightly, perhaps internally, traumatized by the entire process of birth, rightly so, and Mark wants to get some intimacy back. He wants to have sex. It's an interesting look into the dynamic between guys and ladies postpartum, and might even hit the nail on the head when it comes to the differences between men and women, as it relates to sex and birth. Theirs is definitely a story that could have filled an entire film and it seemed like they got the most screen time out of the nine.
The other couples include:
1) Julie Bowen as a cougar-ish/MILF who is playing around with her boytoy before her teenage daughter returns from spring break.
2) a lesbian couple on the night of their attempt at artificial insemination
3) two people on a blind date that ends up at his apartment, and they of course have sex on the floor, since he's moved in recently and there are boxes everywhere
4) another couple on the verge of breaking up because he has "stolen" money from their shared bank account, and she comes home literally swinging (a bat)
5) an incredibly passionate and quirky couple that includes a girl that wants her man to shower before getting into bed, which leads to them showering together (and of course, sex) and her asking him why he loves her- His answer is great, by the way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this film, even though I wanted it to be much more focused.
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