My Effortless Brilliance (USA)

It's possible that this was just a movie that hit my strange mood for the day - but I've got to say I really liked this film a lot. Not much happens, just a bunch of guys talking, but I felt like I was watching something interesting and very real. But with the benefits you expect from a work of fiction vs. watching a reality series.

This film is directed by Lynn Shelton and if I recall correctly written by one or both of the actors in the movie. It's a small cast, just four folks on screen over the course of the film. The film was called out as worth watching during the programmer's preview last Thurs. I'd sort of taken that recommendation with a grain of salt. The film is a local production and in some cases that can mean a film hyped a bit more than it otherwise would be. While that almost always means a fun screening with cast, crew and friends in attendance (such as Blood on the Fast Track last year) it doesn't necessarily mean great cinema. But this exceeded expectations - though I'll admit it took a few minutes to grow on me.

From the start I had a hunch I'd either strongly enjoy it - or intensely dislike it. Maybe that's from the starting feel of the film which opens with a writer procrastinating around the house in the sort of hyper-realistic feel of the digital video. I tend to find that look a little disconcerting and really require being pulled in by the characters to avoid the sense that I'm watching The Real World on MTV. Probably not fair - but I think that's how I react most of the time to that sort of look on-screen. Add in the fact that the writer character is sort of a jerk (something stronger than "jerk" is more appropriate) and I was a bit worried. Nevertheless I was drawn into the story pretty quickly. Contrary to my initial fear it is not a 90 minute story about writers block. It's a talky take on the healing of a lost friendship (if it ever originally was a friendship) between two men. I say talky - but not too much, with a good deal of humor mixed in to break up the uncomfortable moments.

Much of the film takes place in a cabin in Eastern Washington state - which provides some great backdrops to the story. If you're a serious reader you'll also probably get the benefit of truly understanding some of the jokes I probably missed. And if nothing else you'll probably remember this movie fondly the next time you see Liv Tyler's from the rear on the big screen...

You can (and should) buy tickets here.