Forev

Sophie and Pete, two friends who live in the same apartment complex, decide on a whim to get engaged.

Noel Wells – Sophie
Matt Mider – Pete
Amanda Bauer – Jess

Sophie and Pete are two neighbors who both have an attraction to each other, but since they are somewhat broken people, they don’t know the right way to go about it. Sophie goes on dates with guys who don’t know her name, and Pete is a lonely computer technician who works from home. Pete jokingly says that they should get married, and Sophie calls his bluff. They then travel 6 hours to pick up Pete’s sister, and during that time, they talk about life, love, and so on.

The beauty of the movie is that neither of them is a caricature of a person. The things they do, their interactions and what not, feel normal.

I could see some people saying the film is slow, but this is the kind of movie that needs to go at its own pace. The characters are talking as they are getting to know each other, and as such, the audience is getting to know them as well. I can’t remember the last time I saw a film where they took the time to really let us understand the players this well. I appreciated it.

Sophie, played by Noel Wells, was fantastic. She was just a cool character – innocent, witty, friendly, and not a mean bone in her body. Also, she was just beautiful. It was easy to see why any guy would want to get to know her better, which made it all the more sad that most guys took advantage of her because she was so kind hearted.

Pete, played by Matt Mider, was the perfect counter to Sophie. He was lonely and naive but had a charm that made you like him and feel bad for his shyness. He wasn’t a loser; he was just a loner who lacked some social skills from years of working from home.

The two lead actors by themselves were a good chunk of the film, but the supporting cast was great as well. I don’t want to say too much because discovering the other characters is part of the enjoyment of the film. Each has their own distinct and somewhat weird personality that works within the confines of the film. They all did a great job, but Wells totally stole the show.

I found out Wells has been a cast member of Saturday Night Live since last year. I haven’t watched the show in ages, but I liked her performance so much I’m going to check it out.

Molly Green and James Leffler did a great job directing. The movie had a nice, warm look to it. They didn’t have a giant budget, but it wasn’t needed for this kind of film. I’m not saying it looked cheap; quite the opposite is true. They used their locations well and focused on the story instead of adding some nonsensical drama that rom-coms have the tendency to do.

There were so many great moments in the film where you expected it to go the usual way, and they took it somewhere else. They showed some guts by not falling into the same old cliche traps. Bravo.

This is the first feature the duo has directed, and I really hope they do more.

Beyond directing, Green and Leffler also wrote the film. While they provided the structure, Wells, Mider, and Bauer ad-libbed some lines.

Many of the cast and crew are friends and have all collaborated on various projects together for years.

What a refreshing movie! This is not my usual fare, but it isn’t outside of my wheelhouse. I know I normally go after horror and action films, but every once in a while, I love a good character-driven movie like this.

I was worried this would be another bland indie comedy that tried way to hard to be funny. Thankfully, it was something else altogther – a romantic comedy that didn’t rely on outdated jokes and forced hack drama. It doesn’t venture into the “it’s funny because it’s uncomfortable” zone that so many comedies have been going for lately.

I identified with both Sophie and Pete. When the two decide to get engaged, it actually feels natural, but really, the movie isn’t even about the engagement. It’s about these two getting to know each other.

The movie never feels forced, and while some of the stuff that happens is a tad silly, it never feels like it is being disingenuous to the film. If I had to compare it to another film, it would be Before Sunrise…only with a bit more humor.

This isn’t some lazy rom-com. This is an indie film that feels more mature and from the heart. The characters are likeable, and no one is really a dick, which was one of the biggest strong points for me. Everyone in the movie acts like a real person. No one is out to destroy anyone else. No one is there to rip them off. Everyone is just human.

It’s intelligently written and incredibly well constructed. This is the kind of romantic indie film that a lot of them aspire to be but never achieve. A rare gem, and I loved it.

Thoroughly enjoyable. Its not a laugh a minute comedy, but it does have some wonderfully funny moments and tons of heart. If you are looking for a change of pace and don’t mind a movie that gets a little sappy, this is the one.