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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Movie Small Talk: Romance With A Twist



It may have been the worst summer box office since 1997, but there is still plenty to head to the movie theater to see. As we creep closer to fall, there is even more that is just awaitin' for your eyes to discover.

Some clamor that Hollywood has lost all its originality. This may be true for the majority of blockbusters, but take that nice brain of yours, and seek out something that has a smaller budget.

Surprise! There are still quality movies to be enjoyed! Those that stretch the imagination in untouched territory and aren't just another sequel or reboot, or adapted from a novel, video game, or comic book.

There are also people out there who are sick of the usual romances. Yeah, the guy and girl are ALWAYS going to fall in love, but gosh darn-it, there will be some hijinx along the way. Don't let me fool you - I'm no hater of that type of movie at all. I too have been known to crash on a couch with the likes of Bridget Jones, Gracie Heart, and all those gals from Love, Actually.

But what if this genre was mixed up a bit? Two unlikely movie categories have converged  to create a distinctive movie watching escapade.

The writers of an especially fascinating movie I saw a couple weeks ago must have seen their share of  romances and rom-coms and decided that, it's all been done before, and asked themselves, where could this type of movie go now?

Take one couple on the verge of a break up, add a dash of sci-fi, and out comes The One I Love




The mystery of this movie is probably what is intriguing most people about this one. I know it's the major reason my friend and I  checked it out. After seeing Elisabeth Moss talk all coded about the plot on The Daily Show, it had my brain racing - what the heck is this about?  Enigmas will always lead to curios minds and then probably ticket sales.

I hadn't even seen the trailer before heading to the theater. Watching it now for the first time, I see that it reveals a couple more clues without totally giving away the entire cow for free.

Since I read a lot about movies, when I go to the theater I often feel like I've shelled out $10 for something I've already seen. Knowing very little about The One I Love, I'm finding it's way more fun to go into a movie with little to no expectations.

I'd even encourage you not to watch the trailer I just posted above. Serious tease, I know. Let your willpower be tested! Not having a clue about where the plot will take you, means that a little under two hours can just be enjoyed watching two lovely, funny actors up on screen.

Moss and Mark Duplass are the stars of this show. If you are fans of these two, you already know they are quite talented and enjoyable to watch. What else do you need to know? They are on screen almost the entire time performing a witty script that is peppered with bits of true to life hilarity and drama, with a definite focus on the inter-workings of long term relationships. I don't want to say more because that will ruin it.

Even after a couple weeks the puzzling ending still has my head trying to think through various possibilities. Anything that is open to interpretation can be either frustrating or exciting. In the case of The One I Love, the ending perfectly encapsulates a one-of-a-kind story. It's good to see that creative minds are still at work in the movie business.

If any of this has piqued your interest, sleuth out The One I Love in a theater near you.

Until next time.




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