Ok, not gonna lie…I am VERY happy right now…because it is the WEEKEND!! After a decidedly LONG week, it felt like the wonderfully pleasant world of a few days off was elusive. But, here we are and that’s that! To begin this first full weekend day off, I bring you my review of a new indie offering from IFC Films that, thanks yet again to On Demand, I was able to view….the dramedy “Comet”.
SEE THE TRAILER HERE
Made real by writer and first-time major film director Sam Esmail, the story begins in Los Angeles where a rather cynical fellow, Dell (Justin Long) is standing in a LONG line at the Hollywood Cemetery talking on his cell phone to someone about someone else’s illness, while getting unsolicited advice on what to ASK about it from a girl, Stephanie (Kayla Servi), in front of him. Once off the phone, Dell goes off on random, again cynical, tangents with Stephanie until the guy behind him, Josh (Eric Winter), calls out to get someone’s attention. Dell turns to be enraptured by the girl coming towards them, whom we find out is Josh’s date, Kimberly (Emmy Rossum). And from this point, thus begins a very awkward series of moments with Dell shooting his thoughts out without really thinking, Josh becoming more and more irritated by him, and Kimberly truly trying to ascertain WHAT is going on with Dell and his ramblings, ALL capped off with a key moment between them. As the evening of watching a meteor shower (we find out is the event people had gathered for) unfolds, the unlikely pair find themselves constantly running into each other, always then engaging in strange conversations, Dell in his world of cynicism and Kimberly in her quick-witted and real-world based replies. Star-crossed would be the best way to describe the journey the two lovers end up on, as once that choice is made, it is a whirlwind ride over the course of a 6-year period that jumps back and forth through key highs AND lows of their originally “not a chance” relationship…focusing on key times they were actually happy, but also the fights, the break-ups, the coming back together. Taking things in both humorous and heartbreaking ways, we end up really seeing the depth of change that occurs in both Dell and Kimberly, as circumstances over the years cause them to grow up, make bigger choices both wrong and right, and navigate those tricky waters of how they truly feel about each other, about themselves, and what path their love is ultimately guiding them to. As always, any further details would constitute spoilers, and as you all know by now (or if you are a new reader, maybe you don’t yet) I do my best NOT to go that direction.
With several of the indie films I have chosen to view more recently, I realize one trend…they almost all have been these amalgamations of comedy and drama, known as “dramedy”, and centered ultimately on the relationships between us as human beings, whether romantically or interpersonally relationship-based. And this has been an overall great thing to have multiple films focused on, to take in characters that are relatable and REAL in at least SOME ways. “Comet” was no exception to this rule, as it quite realistically and deeply presents its two star characters as the normal, flawed, but highly emotional beings that they are. You really DON’T see these two people BEING a couple on the surface, and THAT’S the biggest point that stuck out to me…because that factor alone gives the story its legs and places you in Dell and Kimberly’s shoes as they’re both trying to really figure out exactly WHAT it IS they have with each other, and HOW being in a sometimes deeply loving/sometimes deeply tumultuous relationship is causing them to face their OWN individuality as well as how they then give themselves to one another. Justin Long plays Dell, with his bitter outward persona that hides within it a man who WANTS to BE loved and accepted, with a superb ease that makes his interactions with Kimberly achingly genuine each time, for good or ill. Dell’s heart IS on his sleeve, even when he’s believing it’s not showing, which Long brings out so effectively. And Emmy Rossum just continues to amaze me as an actress, as she is SO able to bring that fantastic combination of innocence, vulnerability, strength, and sexiness to her characters. Kimberly is a prime example of this. She is so opposite of Dell in her world view and views on love and what relationships should be, yet the odd pairing WITH Dell brings her experience to a different place and causes her to grow and mature in so many other ways throughout the film, even when her own choices cause him hurt. Rossum just flat out emotes incredibly well with the character, and I felt every raw, emotional moment in her performance…plus I’ll say it again…it’s REAL and engaging and I just adore Rossum for that type of character. Content-wise, the film actually surprised me, in that certain elements COULD have gone to extremes but DIDN’T, which I give writer/director Esmail credit for. It’s my own personal peeve when it comes to the amount of language in the film, so viewers sensitive to that, be warned, as that is fairly prevalent here. But overall, “Comet” was yet another example of why indie film is something to be treasured, as it constantly strives TO bring character-based stories to life and give us moments that we CAN relate to in our OWN lives.
As always, this is all for YOUR consideration and comment. So until next time, thank you for reading!
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