Best Man Down

With renting movies always comes the risk of disappointment. I think this risk keeps most people from watching lesser known movies, but most of the time, these are my favorite ones. Best Man Down was one of those "lesser knowns," and I decided to grab it off the shelf when I saw Jess Weixler on the cover. I recently saw and loved her in Free Samples. Justin Long was also on the cover but I had mixed feelings about him... mainly due to my personal taste in movie genres. The "man humor" movies have never been my favorite, to each their own. Anyway, so this is my "process" I go through when I decide what to watch. First I look for actors whose roles I've connected to in their previous works, then I look for film awards and critic reviews. That being said, there are countless movies who don't have awards, raving reviews, or faces you've seen before that are still wonderful and worth watching. The last main thing I will look for is subject matter... do I care what this movie is about, does it interest me? Best Man Down attracted me first because of Jess Weixler and second because I enjoy a story about imperfections and perseverance.

The story revolves around the death of Lumpy (Tyler Labine), Scott's (Long) best man after Scott and Kristin's (Weixler) wedding reception. Lumpy's death raises the strains of Scott and Kristin's relationship to the surface but also allows them to learn more about someone that they didn't know as well as they thought they did. One of the beautiful things I experienced with Best Man Down was that all the characters are flawed in some way, even the most likable ones. I'm fascinated with human interaction and relationships. I connected to the flawed characters because we are all flawed and no one really has an answer of how to deal with that. How does anyone come together when we are bound to be frustrated with the other's imperfections? Too many fictional characters are unrealistically simple in personality, too good or too bad, without the complications in between. Then taking these flawed people and putting them in unpredictable situations just adds to my interest.

Scott and Kristin try to find people who Lumpy knew to tell them about his death. The journey takes them on a path they hadn't anticipated. They meet a young girl named Ramsey (Addison Timlin) who spent the most time with Lumpy in the last year of his life. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that all three grow as people and grow closer to each other.

Once again I loved Jess Weixler! As Kristin she's a little crazy, impatient, and controlling but also funny, sarcastic (in the best way), and caring. In the two roles I've seen her act she's has this dry and harshly honest persona that I'm so drawn to. I just love to see an actress who doesn't play the typical damsel in distress, the generic female role. It's refreshing to see a strong actress who isn't afraid to be real! Justin Long was very enjoyable as Scott. He has the ability to be very charming and lovable while still being sharp and hardheaded. I think I like him best when takes parts that are more down to earth like this one, once again... just my personal preference. Jess Weixler and Justin Long had great on screen chemistry. I would love to see them act together again. Addison Timlin, who played Ramsey, was incredible! She was the perfect combination of broken and toughness with a delightful wit that the character Ramsey needed. This is the first time I've seen Addison Timlin and I hope I see her in other roles that are equally complex and beautiful. One of the most moving performances comes from the character who is dead in the first 5 minutes of the movie... Tyler Labine who plays Lumpy. Most of his screen time is in flash back from Ramsey's recollections of him. His acting was amazing because he had the challenge of playing a character who you feel one way about in the beginning that completely changes as the story plays out. The whole cast made each character feel real and made the bonds and conflicts between them meaningful. A wonderful success!

After all that... I hope you'll consider watching that movie you haven't heard anything about that sparks your interest! If the first one isn't your cup of tea, keep trying... it will pay off!

Le Week-End

FINALLY, something clever and refreshing I could connect to! It's been a while. Le Week-End was the complete opposite of most love stories, which is why I loved it! The premise is a couple celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary by taking a second honeymoon to Paris. Their marriage is filled with disappointment, desperation, and misery held together by bits of joy here and there. I appreciate a realistic take on love and commitment and grow tired of the dreamy romantic falsities that prevail the movie screens. Le Week-End is a story that knows when to laugh, when to be heartbroken, when to be ridiculous, when to be cruel, and when to love. It thoroughly satisfied the cynic and realist in me, which is somewhat hard to do ;).

Lindsay Duncan, who plays wife Meg, and Jim Broadbent, who plays husband Nick are wonderful and amazing. I've loved Lindsay Duncan ever since I saw her in Mansfield Park and idolized her in Under the Tuscan Sun, and I was very moved by Jim Broadbent in Another Year. He has the ability to become genuine likable characters and makes it seem effortless. Not to mention, who else could play Bridget Jones's dad :)? Last but not least my man JEFF GOLDBLUM plays Morgan, an old college friend of Nick's who Meg and Nick run into on the streets of Paris. Morgan is ridiculous but charming while also being repulsive, so of course no one else could pull that off but Jeff Goldblum!

I was very impressed and enjoyed the highs and lows and in-betweens of two people spending so much of their lives together. I found it beautifully true.