Charlene Yi doesn't belief in love, and goes on a road trip (together with director Nick and tag along love interest Michael Cera) to find out what love really is. Going from city to city interviewing happy couples, scientists, an entire biker bar, and an Elvis lookalike Priest, she meets Michael from which a very endearing romance unfolds.
The acting, largely improvised sets itself starkly apart from regular scripted romance movies. As our protagonists fumble through the (very real) awkward silences of their initiation at a house party and the clumsy small talk, they remind us that real world relationships are nothing like the smooth sailing scripts that Hollywood sells.
Transitioning from experimentation into intensifying their relationship, we see a sloppy attempt at physical contact remind us this isn't your typical smooth-dude-cute-girl romance flick. Going into the bonding stage under the watchful eyes of the camera, they frequently break the 4th wall in a really quirky almost amateurish way typical of the movie's novel direction.
Slowly though, entering the bonding stages, the pressure of having every second together captured on tape sets in and cracks start to form.
As they gasp for privacy while struggling with their differing views on the film crew, the interviews roll on, contributing interesting insights on Western society's views on love.
A scientist explains how humans in love secrete chemicals and hormones that induce a high that really isn't that different from those induced by chemicals.
A romance novelist explains why romance novels typically cater to a female audience and dishes out a recipe for chick literary success.
A Las Vegas priest who recounts a marriage ceremony where the groom, when asked if he would take the bride as his wife proceeds to flip a coin and take a eyebrow raising peek at the result before saying "I do".
Eventually breaking apart, Charlyne leaves for Paris for some final filming where she finally breaks down under ther heartbreak of seperation.
While informative and amusing, the movie makes no attempt to reconcile the various perspectives on love, instead soaking the audience in the humble sincerity of its characters and eventually making them think of their own view on the subject.
What's love to you?
aww cheng!
ReplyDeletethis looks so cute!
YESSS relationships arent what Hollywood movies make them out to be!
nonetheless i dont think its wrong to want all those things that you find in hollywood relationships : the romance/chemistry/etc
IN FACT, I think everyone should strive for that (I think the reason why alot of Asian guys arent that romantic is because they think that they dont HAVE to be romantic and that that stuff only happens in the movies- ITS TOTALLY NOT TRUE BTW hahaha)
What is love to me?
Its finding someone who you are willing to put before yourself. Someone who makes you feel complete, who you can appreciate for all his/her strengths and weaknesses, and whom you can trust with your life.
"Love is giving someone the power to hurt you and trusting them not to."
p.s. YES I AM HOPELESS ROMANTIC SO SUE ME haha (:
Yes, relationship aren't always smooth sailing. It takes time, and maybe also fate to meet the right person. However, we should be reminded of the fact that if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be. Instead of prolonging the pain, its better to end the relationship earlier, than drag it longer.
ReplyDeleteIn fact they say that many relationships fail now because the movies are always constantly portraying happy endings, and romantic dates, and sets the expectations.
ReplyDeleteReal love is not so easy. It is never that easy and simple. All these high expectations are just a facade.
Love is always tough, nothing is that easy.
I think because of what the media portrays, people tend to think that is how romance should be and they set the standard against what is seen from the hollywood movies.
ReplyDeleteSadly, life, especially love life, isn't all that romantic and perfect. So as much as we desire to have the same love life as that the ones onscreen, we have to do a reality check.
To me, love is a actually hard to explain. But to try and define it would be finding the perfect fit like how the girl's shoulder would fit snugly onto the guy's shoulders and how their fingers would interlace one another perfectly. To be that, the love of your life would be the one who would complement your characteristics and flaws and who would love you wholeheartedly unconditionally despite everything. :)
Love is when you can cook a bad bowl of mushroom soup and she still appreciates the effort and thinks it's delicious.
ReplyDeleteI saw an ad about an old lady complaining about how her husband snores in bed but now would give anything to hear that again because he died from a disease. That seemed alot like the mystical feeling of love to me.
Hmm. I think the way the producer chose to portray the relationship is rather cute!
ReplyDelete"A scientist explains how humans in love secrete chemicals and hormones that induce a high that really isn't that different from those induced by chemicals." I think this that you've mentioned is really cool! It's really a wonder how those chemicals are being formed within our bodies!
Wow, you've shown us the perspective of many different kinds of people!
For me, I think love is a special feeling you have for a special someone. Something unexplainable I guess.
=)Kai Ting
Sounds like quite a unique movie, worth at least a dvd rent since i missed it.
ReplyDeleteImprovisation seems to be undergoing some kind of a renaissance lately through channels like jazz, improvised comedy, flash mobs(and their not so cool commercial counterparts), and now this.
While currently novel, I truly hope that in time audiences will learn to appreciate the slightly rough ast the edges, humbly cute quality of these media texts
All thanks to the media, we have a script on the formation and the breaking up of a relationship. People tends to have a requirement when going on dates or in any one of the steps in the formation of relationship which therefore results in unhappiness when reality do not follows the so called 'norm'. Therefore, one got to experience a relationship first before being able to completely understand the true meaning of love and the ways to maintaining a relationship.
ReplyDelete