Written & Directed By: Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani
Cinematography: Christine Ng
Editor: Autumn Dea, Colin Fair and Natalie Toppino
Cast: Sofia Black D’Elia, Ray Nicholson, Cazzie David, Jon Rudnitsky, Olvier Cooper, Raymond Cham Jr., Michael Manasseri, Owen Thiele
A subversive romantic comedy gone wrong that follows a young woman into and out of an emotionally abusive relationship.
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This film tries to say something with a more sarcastic voice in this film, though not quite loud enough it’s more like an affection.
Which is a shame, consider considering the films potential but it’s definitely a film worth checking out.
The film horrifies you and opens your eyes to a certain type of behavior and the hearts that lie within. Which can be worse as it is more intimate than spontaneous.
Though the film goes for overkill at times, and clearly shows his ridiculous scarring mental state and no one seems to note or notice it even him, and he never sees his own problems. Though we continuously see the damage it causes to our lead who is young and impressionable, even though she has had dating in relationship experience.
You wonder in the audience if the film would’ve hit harder if maybe she had a bit more experience or was a bit older and didn’t come off as desperate at times to a degree. So eager to PLEASE, but that might be the weakness of that the character played by Ray Nicholson is looking for.
The lead played by Sophia Black D’Elia is supposed to be kind of an every woman showing how anyone can fall into a trap or be prayed upon by such a person. though you can see why she would fall for this guy when her one other romantic partner is such a jerk and we never see anyone else show any interest in her
which makes sense for us in the audience to see that her choices in the dating pool are limited and messed up in someway, or are not surely looking for anything more than sex.
Ray Nicholson seems to be the actor these days to play romantic psychopath as he appears to be quite gifted at it would be nice to see if he is truly a character actor by playing something a little different maybe a little more normal
The ending packs of punch, but also kind of treats it like a dark joke. It needed to show a bit more as you want more answers, but it leaves the audience like the main character wondering what
As the abuse scene hit hard and will have you screaming at the screen, causing an emotional reaction. Is though the film is supposed to be a comedy at times and her friends seem stuck in comedic roles, yet most of the film feels more like a drama for the most part.
So at times the film has two different styles working against each other, though for quite a few scenes they seem to work hand-in-hand.
it does make you wonder if when it comes to his friends who are very minor in this film if he pays for them to be so willing to feed into his paranoia or they doing it out of loyalty.
All the film is a subversive, romantic comedy one wishes it was a bit more subtle and stronger with its punch and it’s punchlines.
There are things to admire, but it feels a bit after school special-ish only without a typical ending.
For a debut feature The film is a great showcase for all involved, especially Cassie David, who costars who wrote and directed the film. It’s quite assured and defitnely has something to say. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Grade: B-
