IN SPITE OF OURSELVES
REVIEW WRITTEN BY JOE COMPTON
After spending two blissful weeks together, Hannah and Archie confront the distance, doubts, and their own insecurities to see if their relationship can go the distance.
Director: Josh Loeb
Genre: Romantic Dramedy
Runtime: 99 Minutes
Writer: Josh Loeb
Stars: Conor Leslie, Brett Dier, Glenn Morshower
I don't think I have experienced an opening credit sequence roller coaster quite like the one this movie takes you on. It starts with a dolly zoom (maybe the only one in the entire movie, by the way) on some baked goods. Into a cooking demonstration that leads us to why this place has charm but also pressure on it (good foreshadowing), and then what customers do when they can't get what they want, a little flirting with the owner, or a joke that lands enough to make an impression.
All this leads to my initial thought of, "oh I am going to be inundated with about every cliche every cozy, Hallmark romance can fling at me."
I have never been happier to be more wrong because within the next 15 to 20 minutes, this goes from Hallmark to Judd Apatow-esque romantic comedy to 1970's relationship drama.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE.....
Then this movie takes a turn of the most interesting ilk. As it starts to settle into a serious undertone about fears and rejections, and real-life concerns that are so fascinating, so amazingly well handled through great writing that I guess took some time to warm up.
Because, until the Comedy club scene, this movie was not my favorite. However, Josh Loeb wins me over because there is a true-to-life exchange of ideas, thoughts, and rhetoric that is powerful here and so emotionally charging and re-charging.
I'm not done writing about the beginning yet, either, but let me also just say part of what makes this stay together is the absolutely radiant chemistry between Brett Dier and Cono Leslie on screen. It is absolutely electric. I love both characters' passion for zinging it at, not just the circumstances, but at each other, too. It is charming and witty, but then when the uncomfortable stuff happens, it also serves as this cruel defense mechanism that becomes these sharp talons through our hopes for them.
You never let go of hope here, and while this movie settles in, its when it settles up that you are struck by its beginning scene silliness the most. I know that probably doesn't make much sense, but without that horrible first 10 minutes, the rest of the elegant 89 doesn't exist.
While Josh uses steady conventions both in the writing and framing, and it works well, there is a Portland-esque, mid-century modern look to the filtering throughout. There are a lot of autumn-like colors, brown halos, that highlight tepid wood-made everything and hipster setups. Agian the kind of thing Hallmark movies, especially ones from the winter months, lean into. There are some nice pulled focus panoramics in the latter essence of this film's 2nd and 3rd acts with a splash of color, but this movie is not going to trick shot you or do anything that hasn't been done before. Which works, because, again, when you have 2 actors that just melt everything else around them, you point the camera and shoot that. We will be riveted even if its just a black background behind them.
I think this is a happy surprise for this viewer simply because these movies tend to either lay it on thick or become so nuanced that you are bored to death. This movie is always fresh because it leans into the authentic instead of the cliche, at least for 89 minutes, that is. I think this won't disappoint if you stick with it.
All this leads to my initial thought of, "oh I am going to be inundated with about every cliche every cozy, Hallmark romance can fling at me."
I have never been happier to be more wrong because within the next 15 to 20 minutes, this goes from Hallmark to Judd Apatow-esque romantic comedy to 1970's relationship drama.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE.....
Then this movie takes a turn of the most interesting ilk. As it starts to settle into a serious undertone about fears and rejections, and real-life concerns that are so fascinating, so amazingly well handled through great writing that I guess took some time to warm up.
Because, until the Comedy club scene, this movie was not my favorite. However, Josh Loeb wins me over because there is a true-to-life exchange of ideas, thoughts, and rhetoric that is powerful here and so emotionally charging and re-charging.
I'm not done writing about the beginning yet, either, but let me also just say part of what makes this stay together is the absolutely radiant chemistry between Brett Dier and Cono Leslie on screen. It is absolutely electric. I love both characters' passion for zinging it at, not just the circumstances, but at each other, too. It is charming and witty, but then when the uncomfortable stuff happens, it also serves as this cruel defense mechanism that becomes these sharp talons through our hopes for them.
You never let go of hope here, and while this movie settles in, its when it settles up that you are struck by its beginning scene silliness the most. I know that probably doesn't make much sense, but without that horrible first 10 minutes, the rest of the elegant 89 doesn't exist.
While Josh uses steady conventions both in the writing and framing, and it works well, there is a Portland-esque, mid-century modern look to the filtering throughout. There are a lot of autumn-like colors, brown halos, that highlight tepid wood-made everything and hipster setups. Agian the kind of thing Hallmark movies, especially ones from the winter months, lean into. There are some nice pulled focus panoramics in the latter essence of this film's 2nd and 3rd acts with a splash of color, but this movie is not going to trick shot you or do anything that hasn't been done before. Which works, because, again, when you have 2 actors that just melt everything else around them, you point the camera and shoot that. We will be riveted even if its just a black background behind them.
I think this is a happy surprise for this viewer simply because these movies tend to either lay it on thick or become so nuanced that you are bored to death. This movie is always fresh because it leans into the authentic instead of the cliche, at least for 89 minutes, that is. I think this won't disappoint if you stick with it.
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