Tag: Gillian Jacobs

THE CONTRACTOR (2022) – Review

Just a few weeks after the release of the armed forces “dramedy” DOG, Hollywood calls upon another of its “hunkiest” action stars/leading men to don the “camo” and “gear up”. Now there’s no specially trained canines to chase after in this film, but like Channing Tatum’s Briggs, this movie’s focus wants desperately to get “back in” and rejoin his “band of brothers” in the current “hot spot”. If only he was given a road trip/mission like Briggs. That’s the main reason his “title” changes. He’s not “the soldier”, but rather THE CONTRACTOR.


That “warrior” is named James (Chris Pine), who is still considered “wounded”. We first see him in his early morning routine in order to get his body back into fighting shape after taking a bullet to his right knee in his last tour of duty. But the jogging and the weightlifting “reps’ at his cabin “sanctuary” deep in the woods aren’t enough, prompting a few “injection enhancements. Unfortunately, the “docs” at the local military camp are able to detect his “juicing” and Jim is officially discharged from Special Forces. So how will he be able to keep the home he shares with nursing student/wife Brianne (Gillian Jacobs) and their pre-teen son Jack (Sander Thomas)? As the “past due” notices pile up and debt collectors fill their answering machine, James is enticed by a visit with his old “grunt buddy” Mike (Ben Foster). Seems that Mike has been earning loads of cash by offering his “special skills” as a military contractor, who “slips in under the radar”. He puts James in contact with the director of the contracting company, another vet named Rusty (Keifer Sutherland), who offers a nice “gig”. Despite Brianne’s pleading, James gets his gear in working order and joins Mike in an undercover assignment in Berlin. They’ve got to ‘scoop up” a radical scientist that’s creating biological weapons. And though the plan is simple, several things go “sideways’ as James is separated from the team and becomes a “loose end” to be “severed”, As his wound acts up can James keep himself alive and somehow make it back to the states?


Taking a break from the twin “tentpole” franchises that are WONDER WOMAN and STAR TREK, Pine proves that he can get “down and dirty” as a “working Joe”/action hero carrying (he may be in every scene) this grim “grabbed from the headline” dramatic thriller. James is no “super-soldier” as he winces in pain pushing his battered body in the opening “getting back in shape” sequence. But that’s merely a prelude to the agony to come. First up is humiliation and frustration as his military “home” pushes him aside adding extra tension to his actual home as Pine shows us the worry closing in on James as forces “pick him clean”, making him to grasp at any lifeline, no matter how shady. And when the “payday” goes awry PIne shows us how James tries to ignore his old and new wounds while holding on to his moral code which further complicates his survival. As usual Foster is solid as the old cohort Mike who may not be completely open about their new “C.O.” and recruiters. Sutherland slathers on the “fatherly charm” and “gung ho” encouragement as he binds James with a promise of quick moola with little risk. Jacobs is a welcome addition to the story, but her Brianne is later regulated to the cliched “spouse on the phone” when the story shifts into “chase and elude mode”. Though introduced close to the big finale, Eddie Marsan is a welcome supporting player as the mysterious Virgil who comes to the aid of the battered James.

The script from J.P. Davis switches gears from domestic drama to globetrotting thriller, a detour carefully executed by director Tarik Saleh, who knows when to concentrate on character and when to “amp up” the tension and plunge us, alongside James, into the “danger zone”. He makes excellent use of the overseas locales as James and Mike stalk their “target”, then slowly lets us in on the “truth”. The “hand-to-hand” throwdowns are staged and shot effectively, while the “fire fights’ are filled with moments of chaos and calamity. Unfortunately, the real villains and motivations fall “into place” too cleanly and the last act denouncements and showdowns seem too rushed, letting the story seem too familiar to any number of military action “potboilers”. The first-rate cast can’t quite elevate the “plot beats” making THE CONTRACTOR an intermittingly engaging but quickly forgettable modern-day “shoot em up”.

2 Out of 4

THE CONTRACTOR opens in select theatres and is available as a video-on-demand beginning on Friday, April 1, 2022

MORE THAN ROBOTS – Review

The movies have helped to propel our fascination (especially kids) with mechanical men. And women, since one of cinema’s most iconic fantasy images comes from the silent era, namely the female facsimile of Maria played by Brigitte Helm in the Fritz lang classic METROPOLIS, which in turn inspired the look of C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise. In those fifty years in between, there was the clunkier Tin Man of THE WIZARD OF OZ, countless slow-moving metal menaces in cheesy sci-fi and horror flicks and serials. leading to the more whimsical Robby the Robot in FORBIDDEN PLANET (who’s a not-too-distant relation of the Robot from TV’s “Lost in Space”). And there are countless more human-looking “artificials” in WESTWORLD and the many Terminator incarnations. We’re not quite there, though there have been “bot-building” contests and competitions for teens over the last thirty years. That’s the focus of this new feature-length doc which follows several of those teens from around the globe striving to show that their passion encompasses MORE THAN ROBOTS.

The camera crews are truly “globe-hopping” as they profile the different high school teams prepping for the 2019 FIRST Robotics Competition, an event begun by Dean (Mr. Segway) Kamen as a way to motivate and inspire young minds. After a brief prologue set at the big contest, the film jumps back three months to introduce several hopeful entrants. There are a couple of California-based students interviewed. In El Segundo, Jacob is proud to be part of his school’s team (each has a number and a creative name) #4201 the Vitruvian Bots, while over in Compton, Aaron has high hopes for#6904, the Terawatts. From there they skip across the “pond” to Chiba Japan where Kanon has arrived from Minnesota to be a mentor to the just-formed team at the Chiba Institute of Technology, Sakura Tempesta. And south of our border young Mariana is a big part of team #4010, Nautilis out of Mexico City. After Winter break, the different teams meet at a preview event to find out what the theme for the year requires in the way of tasks for their devices. FIRST has teamed with Lucasfilm ( a producer on this film also) as part of the Star Wars: A Force for Change initiative, and a fabled cast member of that movie franchise briefs them via video on the “mission”. Their robots will have to gather up spongy yellow balls, shoot them into hole-like “ports” (getting points for every ball going in). and then have the robots pull themselves up and balance on a lowered pole (though it resembles a huge coat hanger). Then the kids are off and running after getting a big box of assigned materials. The filmmakers follow them and their teachers and mentors through the whole process, full of long hours and mechanical “snafus”.Everyone’s laser-focused on the Spring event, not knowing that the year 2020 has a few “surprises” in store for them.

Hot on the heels of LUCY AND DESI just a couple of weeks ago, this new film marks the documentary feature debut of yet another talented comic (mainly) actress, Gillian Jacobs (best known for the TV series “Community” and soon to be seen in THE CONTRACTOR). With the confidence of an old “doc pro” Jacobs deftly balances the personal stories of the global quartet with a history of the FIRST tournies and a sweeping, up-close, in the middle of the action, overview of the big event that they’ve all working toward. The energy and enthusiasm of the young people are infectious as they scurry about, making last-minute “fixes” and cheering each other on to new heights. She captures the fervent mania of the big FIRST event which almost feels like the college basketball annual tournaments (like “March Madness”), but a big difference is extolled by the participants and the founder, Kamen. The sting of competition is softened by the fact that the teams merge, two become one, in the final challenges, learning to work together and build on their ideas and strengths. Sure, it’s mainly a “feel good” modern fable, but Jacobs shows us that all the tests and ‘trial runs” can be for naught as the machines seemingly refuse to function. But there are no wailing and gnashing of teeth (braces mostly) displays of dramatic despair, rather an “Oh well, back to the drawing board (or laptop)”. Plus there’s the unexpected element of suspense as Jacobs lets our knowledge of the early 2020 world events creep in, making the plans of the teams more poignant. And again, when the world “stopped” they go on to use their skills in another arena with a very different set of goals. We come away feeling that, yes, “the kids are alright” because their dreams are about much MORE THAN ROBOTS.

3 Out of 4

MORE THAN ROBOTS begins streaming exclusively on Disney+ on Friday, March 18, 2022

Check Out the Exciting Trailer for THE CONTRACTOR Starring Chris Pine – In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand April 1st

THE CONTRACTOR stars an ensemble cast of Chris Pine (Star Trek, Wonder Woman), who also executive produced the film, Ben Foster (Lone Survivor, Hell or High Water), Gillian Jacobs (Come Play, “Community”), Eddie Marsan (The Gentlemen, “Ray Donovan”), JD Pardo (F9: The Fast Saga, “Mayans M.C.”), Florian Munteanu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Creed II) and Kiefer Sutherland (“Designated Survivor”, “24”). The film is directed by Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident – 2017 Sundance film festival winner for World Cinema Grand Jury Prize -Dramatic) and written by J.P. Davis. TEH CONTRACTOR opens In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand April 1st

Here’s the trailer:

Chris Pine stars in the action-packed thriller as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut-off from his pension. In debt, out of options and desperate to provide for his family, Harper contracts with a private underground military force. When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself hunted and on the run, caught in a dangerous conspiracy and fighting to stay alive long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him. Also starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs and Eddie Marsan.

DEAN Starring Demetri Martin and Kevin Kline Arrives on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand August 29th


The humorous and heartwarming award-winning film, Dean, will arrive on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand August 29 from Lionsgate. Comedian and Emmy® nominee Demetri Martin (2004, Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program, TV’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”) stars alongside Academy Award® winner Kevin Kline (1988, Actor in a Supporting Role, A Fish Called Wanda) as a father and son who set out on their own paths to find a new normal following a life-changing event. The film’s all-star cast also includes Gillian Jacobs, Rory Scovel, Ginger Gonzaga, Screen Actors Guild Award® nominee Reid Scott (2012, Ensemble in a Comedy Series, TV’s “Veep”), and Academy Award® winner Mary Steenburgen (1981, Actress in a Supporting Role, Melvin and Howard). Written and directed by Demetri Martin, this comedy about loss, grief and the redemptive power of love won Best Narrative Feature at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. Including two never-before-seen featurettes and a Q&A with Demetri Martin and Rory Scovel, the Dean DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.


Writer-director Demetri Martin stars alongside Academy Award® winner Kevin Kline (1988, Actor in a Supporting Role, A Fish Called Wanda) in this comedic and heartfelt film about a father and son coming to terms with love, loss, and everything in between. Following a life-shaking event, Dean (Martin), a New York illustrator, hops a transcontinental flight hoping to figure out his increasingly crazy world. While in Los Angeles, Dean unexpectedly discovers romance, hope, inspiration, and the importance of family.


DVD/DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “This Is a Movie: Making Dean” Featurette
  • “Drawing on Film: Stories About Dean” Featurette
  • Dean: Q&A with Demetri Martin and Rory Scovel

CAST

Demetri Martin            TV’s “House of Lies,” “Our Fascinating Planet,” and “We Bare Bears”

Kevin Kline                  A Fish Called Wanda, Beauty and the Beast, Ricki and the Flash

Gillian Jacobs             TV’s “Community,” Netflix’s “Love,” Don’t Think Twice

Rory Scovel                TV’s “Ground Floor” and “Those Who Can’t”

Ginger Gonzaga         Ted, TV’s “Legit” and “Togetherness”

Reid Scott                   TV’s “Veep,” “The Big C” and “Motorcity”

Mary Steenburgen      Step Brothers, The Proposal, Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black”

Check Out the New Trailer for DEAN – Stars Demetri Martin and Kevin Kline

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Don’t miss Demetri Martin, Kevin Kline, Gillian Jacobs, and Mary Steenburgen in DEAN, a heartfelt story of a father and son coming to terms with love, loss, and everything in between.

In Select Theaters June 2nd!

Check out the new trailer:

Writer/Director/Comedian Demetri Martin stars alongside Academy Award winner Kevin Kline in this comedic and heartfelt tale about a father and son coming to terms with love, loss and everything in between.  Dean (Martin) is an illustrator whose unwillingness to deal with the recent death of his mother means escaping his hometown of New York for an interview with an ad agency in Los Angeles.  His retired engineer dad Robert (Kline) takes a more regimented approach to grief, including putting the family home up for sale.  Both father and son set out on their own paths to find a new normal as unexpected circumstances and potential new love interests threaten to thwart all plans.

DEAN stars Demetri Martin, Kevin Kline, Gillian Jacobs, Mary Steenburgen, Reid Scott, Rory Scovel, Christine Woods, Ginger Gonzaga, Peter Scolari, and Briga Heelan

DON’T THINK TWICE – Review

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It’s not easy being thirty. At least that seems like the case for Mike Birbiglia. The comedian, actor, writer, and now director isn’t quite at the level of Eeyore, but he’s definitely one of indie cinema’s recent favorite sad sacks. A consistent theme in his work is a male character (always himself) self-analyzing his life and career and pining after the “shoulda been me” moments that could have propelled his career. Part of this introspection is centered around how the thirties is ultimately the final nail in your budding professional career. At that point you might as well turn off the microphone and settle down into a life of domesticity. Well… at least in the eyes of Birbiglia.

I admit that I wasn’t much of a fan of his previous film – the directorial debut SLEEPWALK WITH ME. It’s consistent down beat tone became a slog to get through. His follow up, DON’T THINK TWICE, doesn’t let Birbiglia bring down the festivities as much. Thankfully, he places himself in an ensemble filled with characters going through their own personal highs and lows, making it a team effort in the drama department.

Given the nature of the team’s work though, the laughs come in just as frequently as the earnest moments. DON’T THINK TWICE follows an improve group that consists of Miles (Birbigilia), Jack (Keegan Michael-Key), Sam (Gillian Jacobs), Bill (Chris Gethard), Allison (Kate Micucci), and Lindsay (Tami Sagher). Success for this group is the notierity that comes with getting a role on Weekend Live (basically Saturday Night Live). When a talent scout from the tv show comes to one of their live shows and asks for two of the six members to audition, the bond that held the group together begins to come undone.

The quirky charm of the group is immediately infectious. Birbiglia clearly knows this world and liberally focuses his lens on the training and artistry that goes into each and every stage performance. As they point out, everything is always conceived in the moment, and these moments that take place on stage are pure magic. These scenes are given room to breathe and slowly build, just like they would if you were seated in front of this live performance.

However, several later moments are a little too brief to the point that they aren’t exploring the emotional weight of the scene enough. For instance, a restaurant scene involving Birbiglia discussing the name of an unborn child that he wants to help raise feels stunted by having to make room for the turning points in other character’s lives. While some of these later emotional beats seem slightly too brief, the time spent with these characters thus far will still keep you emotionally invested as they painfully struggle for the next step in each of their careers.

Where the film succeeds the most is as an examination of the artistic process. Beginning with a historical look at the founders of improv places the group’s work as a true form of art. Furthermore, watching these characters study YouTube clips for impersonations and practicing voices in their spare time highlights the hard work that goes on off the stage (even if the voices become a bit exhausting). DON’T THINK TWICE soars when it focuses on how your craft can be strengthened with the help of those around you. Just like in life, improv is not a solo mission – there are always those who will “have your back.” I’m not sure if Birbiglia is pondering whether the strength of your craft begins to dwindle over time or if its your overall passion to keep grinding along. Either way, I like to think that the creative process doesn’t haven an expiration date.

 

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

DON’T THINK TWICE opens at St. Louis’ Landmark Tivoli theater on Friday, August 12

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WAMG At The HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 Press Day

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HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 is ready to take you guys on another crazy trip, and in celebration WAMG attended a press conference for the film where stars Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Adam Scott and Gillian Jacobs talked to press about the film. Director Steve Pink and  screenwriter Josh Heald also joined in.

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Since these guys are so funny, I thought it best to let you listen to all the fun for yourselves, rather than risk losing some of the funny in text. Join the cast as they talk about Lisa Loeb, 9-11, and taking another dip in the hot tub below!

When Lou (Rob Corddry) finds himself in trouble, Nick (Craig Robinson) and Jacob (Clark Duke) fire up the hot tub time machine in an attempt to get back to the past. But they inadvertently land in the future with Adam Jr. (Adam Scott). Now they have to alter the future in order to save the past… which is really the present, in the sequel from the same team that brought you the original cult hit.

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HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 is in theaters now

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 – The Review

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Time once more to traverse that tricky minefield of comedy sequels (and you wonder why Kristen Wiig has vehemently said no to BRIDESMAIDS 2!). Seems just yesterday that we were revisiting those three conspiring pals in HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (which, despite some pans, was miles above the HANGOVER follow-ups and the return of Lloyd and Harry). And now, we’re set to revisit three other pals (it was four, but more on that later) which actually plays as a take-off on a more serious flick from just the last few weeks, PROJECT ALMANAC. Yup, just like Marty McFly and Doc Brown, these dudes can’t refrain from tempting the fates and history. Fire up the jets, grab lotsa’ beverages, and make a splash by jumpin’ into HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2.

The boys have been busy since that first trek nearly five years ago. Adam, played by John Cusack, is a big deal science fiction writer and is off and away on a “spiritual journey” (very smart move, Mr. C!). Nick (Craig Robinson) is a mega music star, mainly by releasing hit tunes before the original artists did thanks to the HTTM. And because of said device, Lou (Rob Cordry) is a hard-partyin’ multi-billionaire having invented the internet. This while his son Jacob (Clark Duke) bitterly lives in his uncaring pop’s shadow. Everything changes during a tragedy at a big gaudy party at Lou’s mansion (while a lightning storm rages, natch’). Hurriedly the trio enter a secret chamber that houses the hot tub that Jacob transplanted from the old ski lodge. And it appears that the person behind said tragedy just used the device, that future fiend! The guys have no choice but to reset controls to the original traveler’s start point. So in order to save 2015 it’s off to far-off 2025 and a race with and against time itself!

The remaining cast mates do their best to fill the void left by Cusack’s absence (and really it is a big hole) to little avail. Cordry comes off as a loud, shrieking metal-head banshee (hey, I know he was obnoxious in the first one, but the volume dial’s broken off here), screeching insults and possessing zero impulse control. Robinson scores some laughs in the early sequences as the most awkward music video star ever, but he seems to lose interest in some of the forced hijinks and tries to coast by on his lovable big teddy bear charm. Neither comics can get use their energy to jump-start the limp material. Craig’s “Office” cohort, Duke gets surly and pouts while staying mad over being mistaken for the butler in the big opening party scene. Often he’s just a verbal punching bag to Cordry’s manic jerk. One of the current stars of his TV alma mater, “The Daily Show”,  Jason Jones tries to match him in smarmy arrogance, but besides a near clever bit about his nickname (he’s called “Winky”, but can’t wink, just blink), he’s just a plot suspect. One attempt  in replacing Cusack is the casting of Adam Scott , the superb Ben of TV’s “Parks and Recreations” as Cusack’s son Adam, Jr who’s simply another wide-eyed nerd for Cordry to bully when he’s not informing the gang about cool future stuff. Also squandered is the beautiful, brilliant Gillian Jacobs of TV’s “Community” as Adam Jr’s flittery, jittery fiance. And don’t be fooled by the ads, Chevy Chase reprising his role as the repairman is in and out of the flick within 40 seconds. Lots of floundering funny folks grasping at straws here.

They won’t find any straws in this limp script. Or any real wit. The only idea that seemed of any interest were the “smart cars” of 2025. As Adam, Jr. explains, nobody owns cars, you just call out for one when they’re needed. Oh, and you’ve got to be nice and compliment them. Now, that might make a funny flick on its own. But just as with  the cast, this idea is ill-served. Like ALMANAC the plot gets mired in the mechanics of time travel (almost repeating the former’s head-scratching chalkboard scene), while stopping the plot for a trite TV game show sequence (hosted by a smart star who should’ve known better). The pedestrian direction shuffles from one misfiring joke to the next, making the flick seems eons longer than its 93 minute running time. They try to end on a high note with the gang photoshopped with history’s icons (shown in the TV spots), but it can’t erase the searing disappointment of not being able to go back in time ourselves and intervene at the box office. Somebody should’ve drained the stale script along with the water from this tattered tub right after the original outing. Time’s up!

1 Out of 5

 

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Watch Octavia Spencer And Kevin Costner In BLACK OR WHITE Trailer

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Relativity Studios has released the trailer for the upcoming movie, BLACK OR WHITE.

BLACK OR WHITE is the story of a grandfather (Academy Award winner Kevin Costner) who is suddenly left to care for his beloved granddaughter. When the little girl’s paternal grandmother (Academy Award nominee Octavia Spencer) seeks custody, a legal battle ensues that forces the families to confront their true feelings on race, forgiveness and understanding.

Anchored by an all-star cast and based on real events, the movie is a look at two seemingly different worlds, in which nothing is as simple as black or white.

The film had its world premiere in September at the Toronto International Film Festival. Deadline’s Awards Columnist Pete Hammond wrote “it’s unflinchingly honest and contains a crackerjack courtroom scene that’s priceless. In that scene, Costner delivers perhaps the best performance of his career, or at least since the period of his career circa Field Of Dreams,” and that “with the right kind of campaign, this film could earn some awards mojo.”

From director/writer Mike Binder (THE UPSIDE OF ANGER), the film will open for a one-week qualifying run in LA on Wednesday, December 3rd for Oscar consideration, and in theaters everywhere on January 30th, 2015.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackorWhiteMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackorWhite
Hashtag: #LoveHasNoColor

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THE BIG ASK – The Review

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I am going to share with you a hypothetical scenario. As I do, imagine yourself in this scenario. You can choose to be any one of the characters involved in the scenario, but I challenge you not to feel the raw emotion of the moment…

Andrew is suffering from the loss of his mother, who recently died of cancer. At Andrew’s request, his girlfriend Hannah, his two best friends Dave and Owen, and their two girlfriends Emily and Zoe, all meet up at a rented house in the rural desert to support Andrew in his time of grief. What they all find out is that Andrew, as a way to cope with the pain and sadness of his loss, would like to sleep with all three women, Hannah, Emily and Zoe, simultaneously, in an effort to help him heal, emotionally, by submerging himself in overwhelming love.

Now, in whose shoes are you standing? How do you feel? Awkward. Embarrassed. Angry. Betrayed. These are all emotions explored in THE BIG ASK. Right in the beginning, it takes no time at all for Andrew to pop the question to his friends, honestly and straight forward, but humbly, he makes his case. Initially, they all think he’s joking, except Hannah, before they realize he’s serious, perhaps even a little crazy. This is why the film succeeds. It immediately gets the baggage out of the way so that the exploration of the characters’ relationships can begin.

Written by Thomas Beatty and co-directed by Beatty and Rebecca Fishman, THE BIG ASK is a fresh comedy that is slightly skewed towards being a romantic comedy in a very unconventional way. However, just beneath the surface of the humor, there are some powerful dramatic themes. Consider the crossing INDECENT PROPOSAL (1993) with BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE (1969) and you have a beginning framework for what’s about to take place, thematically. This is a very well-written film, with a strong moral inquiry, but is approached with an appropriately ambiguous attitude. We would like to think the answer to Andrew’s question would be simple, immediate. In real life, there is no black and white. Whether we expect it or not, there is always a gray area, and that is precisely where this film dwells.

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Andrew, played by David Krumholtz, is certainly not the textbook example of the average woman’s dream guy, but he has a certain charm about him that allows us to somehow, somewhat play along with his outlandish request. Audiences may best remember Krumholtz as Barry Schweiber from the TV series Freak & Geeks. For some, this may paint a very vivid picture. Dave, played by Zachary Knighton, and Owen, played by Jason Ritter, are Andrew’s childhood friends. Despite their clear reluctance to Andrew’s proposition, its apparent that their love and concern for their friend overrides and jealously or macho defiance that would be considered commonplace. Dave seems to have the most level head about the ordeal while occasionally having to keep Owen in check, whose emotions and self-control prove to be less mature than Dave’s.

When Andrew is around his male friends, having guy time, he seems to find his inner child and loosens his grip a bit on this far-fetched dream of having an orgy with the three women. However, when Andrew is alone with one of the women — rarely is he alone with them all at once — we get to see a more pathetic, manipulative side of Andrew. His false confidence comes out, disguised in a charming sweetness that borders between nerdy cuteness and uncomfortably forward. Hannah, played by Melanie Lynskey, is quiet and unassuming. As much as can be expected, she is surprisingly patient and understanding with Andrew. Most women would have left, protested or even caused bodily harm to their boyfriend, had he just openly and directly propositioned two other women right in front her.

Hannah may not be a supermodel, but she has a simple, natural beauty that softly radiated whenever she’s on film. It takes some time before she finds the strength to speak up and tell Andrew how she really feels. In stark contrast to Hannah is Emily. Played by Gillian Jacobs, best known for her role as Britta Perry on the TV series Community, Emily is an outgoing, new age hippie kinda girl with a free spirit and boundless energy. Her playful, loving nature shows when she is the first one to admit being open, albeit reluctant, to Andrew’s proposition as she feels obligated to help Andrew, even if she has no physical attraction or desire for a sexual encounter. Zoe, played by Ahna O’Reilly, is new to the group and something of a wild card. She maintains an impartial bias to Andrew’s proposition, fueled somewhat by disbelief. Zoe also maintains a bit more distance from the rest of the group as she contemplates another proposition from Dave. Of the entire cast, Zoe is not only the least engaging of characters, she is also the least significant to the story. Honestly, by simply being there, Zoe ups the ante from being a mere a menage-a-trios to something a bit more risque and taboo. With that said, Hannah and Zoe truly carry a great deal of the on screen chemistry in the film, dramatically and comically.-

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Another subtle element to the film’s success is the use of visual storytelling. Little things that make a subconscious impact, such as confining the characters within a relatively small space, juxtaposed against such a vast, seemingly endless landscape like the rural desert. A large nearby rocky outcropping occasionally serves as another setting where the characters take to hiking. From the top serves as a vantage point, a way of looking down at them selves and out over the vastness of everything, themselves being minute in comparison. Even the framing choices in the film are often highly suggestive or contemplative in subtle ways. Where the characters are physically to each other, how they’re positioned or what they’re doing. This all plays into the overall visual storytelling. Adding to the success of the film are the notable supporting cast appearances from Ned Beatty as Old Man Carl and French Stewart as Rich, owner of the house the couples have rented.

THE BIG ASK proposes a simple question in less simple terms. This isn’t just a stranger asking another stranger to have sex. This is one man asking an unbelievably difficult favor of his friends, testing the strength and intimacy of their relationship. There is more at stake that petty high school things like desire and attraction. Andrew’s state of mind and emotional well-being is a very real and legitimate concern for his friends, who also struggle with whether they can help or if his condition goes deeper and requires more professional help. Krumholtz is enigmatic in his role. We’re never sure if this is all a hormone-driven con or deeply seeded cry out for help. Andrew seems so calm about the whole ordeal, albeit unnervingly so, until the final act when tragedy takes his recently befriended local mutt away and Andrew finally shows some sense of normal human pain and emotion.

The film is set almost entirely within or around the grounds of the rented house. This helps by creating a tangible enclosure of intimacy. There are no fences or barbed wire, but the film still feels as though the characters are bound within an emotional octagon tasked with slugging out this moral dilemma until a victor is born. This match is rigged and Andrew is meant to be the victor, but how that looks in the end will be determined by the players within the ring. The result is a film that feels very real. Despite the initial shock, THE BIG ASK feels like something that could actually happen. This is raw emotion without the melodrama. This is you, me, and the average Joe played out on screen.

THE BIG ASK is available through Video On Demand and opens in select theaters on Friday, May 30th, 2014.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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