by Tony Medley
94 minutes
R.
Inspired in 2020 by the agent of Producer, director, writer (with Molly Gordon) Sophie Brooks to “come up with an idea that could be shot during covid; something simple, minimal locations and actors,” this starts out as a simple love story that turns into a thriller almost in the blink of an eye.
Iris (Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) embark on their first romantic weekend in a house on a picturesque lake in upstate New York. For a while, things go pretty much as anticipated. Then, as they speak with each other and find that they have different viewpoints on the relationship, they take a strange turn, and things deteriorate apace.
It’s a unique take on modern dating and relationships, including some BDSM, but Brooks presents what could be absurd in a way that is believable. One doesn’t know if this is a 1940s Allan Dwan screwball comedy like 1944’s Up in Mabel’s Room and Getting Gertie’s Garter or a serious thriller.
If the former, Lerman, who gives a terrific performance as the uncomprehending, astonished victim, is no Dennis O’Keefe, but, then, their characters are somewhat different, and this is the 21st Century.
Gordon herself is no slapstick comedienne, but she does give a fine performance as the lovestruck gal who stumbles around trying to make things better, but they keep getting worse.
As I was leaving, I remarked to one of the other critics that I found the film pleasantly surprising, and he agreed, saying he thought it “charming.” I have a feeling that if you want to see this, you’d better see it fast. There were only four critics at my screening, including me.
Tony Medley is an attorney, columnist, and MPAA-accredited film critic whose reviews and articles may be read in several newspapers and at rottentomatoes.com, CWEB.com, robinhoodnews.com, Movie Review Query Engine (mrqe.com), and at www.tonymedley.com. A former sports editor of the UCLA Daily Bruin, he is the author of four books, UCLA Basketball:The Real Story, Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed, the first book ever written on the interview for the interviewee, having sold over a half million copies, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Bridge, which has sold over 100,000 copies, and Learn to Play Bridge Like a Boss. He is an American Contract Bridge League RubyLife Master and an ACBL accredited director. He is a Mensa Life Member and a member of the International Society of Philosophic Research, ISPE (“The Thousand”).
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