Tag: Gus Birney

HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS (2023)

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Written & Directed By: Vicky Wright 

Based on the novel by: Katherine Center

Cinematography: Daniel Vecchione 

Editor: Suzanne Spangler 

Cast: Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos, Blythe Danner, Julia Shiplett, Ben Cook, Shayvawn Webster, Gus Birney 

A year after getting divorced, Helen Carpenter, thirty-two, lets her annoying, ten years younger brother talk her into signing up for a wilderness survival course. It’s supposed to be a chance for her to pull herself together again, but when she discovers that her brother’s even more annoying best friend is also coming on the trip, she can’t imagine how it will be anything other than a disaster.

This has been a trend for Netflix recently releasing romantic movies that seem like they more belong on the hallmark network. That would seem like in the old days the type of TV- movie a network would put all of its show stars into one to win ratings for the night. Not to mention keep their salaries down by making them do the television movie rather than a big screen role that might be a hit and increase their asking price 

This film is simple enough and it’s romantic and heartwarming. So that it has its charms and laughs even though you never are in doubt as to where it is going. 

Happy to see Ellie Kemper in something. Though there are many things here that just nag you in the audience. The characters other than the roads seem to be one-dimensional they get mroe dimensions by the amount of screen time they have.

Most of the cast are good looking at least the ones who are either the romantic leads or might be distractions for them. 

Never quite understand why Kemper’s character would marry a guy who is such an idiot and has no chemistry with him. To set her characters ark and then when it’s obvious who she is supposed to be with they have moderate chemistry but still seem a bit put off. 

Despite the film’s many problems and situational humor. It still has a charm. It’s not impressive but it’s a nice enough viewing.

Grade: C

PLAN B (2021)

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Directed By: Natalie Morales 
Written By: Joshua Levy & Prathiksha Srinivasan
Cinematography: Sandra Valde-Hansen 
Editor: Nathan Orloff 

Cast: Kuhoo Verma, Victoria Moroles, Michael Provost, Mason Cook, Jolly Abraham, Jacob Vargas, Myha’la Herrold, Rachel Dratch, Edi Patterson, Moses storm, Gus Birney, Jay Chandrasekhar, Timothy Granaderis 

Follows a straight-laced high school student and her slacker best friend who, after a regrettable first sexual encounter, have 24 hours to hunt down a Plan B pill in America’s heartland.

Will say that this is one of the better films that I have seen this year so far and definitely one that has made me laugh the hardest and most constantly.

While the film doesn’t reinvent the wheel it does offer a different point of view and protagonists that we rarely ever get to see in this kind of film.

While the characters are part of a certain culture more defined by their parents they are individuals and characters of their own. Though one of the funnier running gags is the paranoia of the Indian mafia (which is a network of Indian characters who all seem to know one another in some way and feed each other news or gossip)

The film is hilarious a lot of times but also exposes a lot of heart and while the main characters keep making a bunch of mistakes the film doesn’t portray them as dumb. They are just teenagers so that while they play it cool and like smart know it all they are more naive than anything.

It’s also a more female-focused and centered teen comedy that doesn’t make all the male characters into villains 

The film has a dirty side but also an innocence that has a few things to say. That luckily has an openness where it’s allowed to be funny and even when it does have something to say it is more subtle and doesn’t feel preachy.

The main characters being people of color is noteworthy but doesn’t take over the film. If anything it offers the audience a chance to see some of the usual hijinks From a different perspective and allows members of the audience to see themselves represented a bit more while also showing most of us to have the same problems and hang-ups. 

No characters in this film are flawless if anything the fact that most of them are flawed is what makes them more relatable and entertaining.

Even the more romantic chances for the characters are not what you would expect or go where you expect them to go. Leaving the film to be a little familiar but luckily a breath of fresh air. 

This is actress Natalie Morales’ directorial debut. She also wrote the script and with such a good debut i for one can’t wait to see more films from her in The future 

Grade: B+