Knowing that the new "unromantic comedy" film "In Stereo," which hits theaters on July 3 2015, premiered at the Dances With Films Film Festival in late May 2015 should be enough to entice checking out this unsentimental look at youngish love in New York City. The unromantic relationship between "Dances," which both helps filmmakers develop the relationship that help them make films and provides a venue for those products, and Unreal TV dates back to the uber-popular October 2013 review of the documentary "Unhung Hero" by "Dances" participant Patrick Moote.
Additionally getting a preview DVD of fellow festival entry "The Last Treasure Hunt," which is the subject of an upcoming review, facilitated a nice mini-festival from the comfort of home.
The following clip. courtesy of YouTube, of the "Stereo" trailer nicely presents both the primary players and the events that make their lives tough and those of audience members a little more enjoyable.
"Stereo" earns its "Dances" cred by giving the great Woody Allen relationship films of the late '70s a grittier and more dystopian vibe that is very apt for 2015. Successful photographer David and struggling actress Brenda sabotage the good thing that they have going early in the film. The price that David pays for abandoning his adequately true love includes connecting with a younger woman who simultaneously displays intense jealousy and sleeps with his lifelong BFF. These events further trigger an artistic crisis that manifests in physical injury and an arrest for David.
These events further drive an increasingly gruff David to a psychiatrist as a means to provide much of the exposition in "Stereo." The exposition during therapy includes explaining the meaning of the phrase that serves as the name of the film. This aspect of the film contributes a nice element of the classic novels of modern music-oriented British author Nick Hornby.
The challenges that Brenda faces includes limited demand for her services and being difficult when provided an opportunity to practice her craft. These elements hilariously colliding during an audition for a commercial is one of the best scenes of "Stereo."
Brenda additionally finds herself facing the risk of homelessness due to the impending loss of the apartment in which she essentially has been squatting.
Casting "Sex and the City" veteran Mario Cantone as the highly excitable agent of Brenda further contributes to the non-sentimental New York relationships feel of "Stereo."
In true Allen style, older and wiser versions of David and Brenda connect near the end of the film. In more traditional romcom style, a wacky misunderstanding threatens to destroy any chance of a reconciliation.
Micah Hauptman and Beau Garrett respectively do good jobs as David and Brenda. They demonstrate appropriate emotions and portray their characters as folks about whom you would care as friends and be glad to otherwise have in your life. You also would be glad to see them make it as a couple but would not be heartbroken in they fail to launch.
In other words, our leads are ordinary New Yorkers leading ordinary New York lives.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Stereo" is welcome to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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