In the beach city of Santa Cruz at the Beach City Grill, a by-the-inch sandwich shop operated by hippie, Trucker, and staffed by Jen (Clea Duvall), Tish (Daneel Harris), Priestly (Jensen Ackles) and newcomer, Piper (Elisabeth Harnois). Tish and Priestly banter about Tish's love life and the abundance in which she picks up shallow guys, which Priestly disapproves. And grill-man Priestly, who really wants just to have a quality relationship and nobody'll give him a chance. Computer geek, Jen's online relationship with Fuzzzy22 is blossoming and she wants to meet him. Hippie Trucker is passionate about Zen-savvy Zo (Alice Kirge), who runs the herbal shop across the street. And Piper is looking for the child she gave up for adoption. Nobody's being honest with anyone and trouble abounds for our motley crew when honesty is required and the truth seeps through the blankets everyone's hiding behind.
Emotional action is harder to show than physical action. It's easy to portray the escalation when guns or punches are involved: more swords, motorcycles, freeway chases. Emotional action involves broken hearts, disappointments, passionate kisses and swelling music. It's up to the actors and the writers to craft our emotional journey with the characters. I am impressed if I come to tears or sigh at the end of a story.
This is a film about friendship and love and being honest with yourself and the ones you spend your life with. I am especially touched with the story of Piper, Julia (Adair Tishler) and Noah (Sean Patrick Flannery.) It's told like a controlled explosion, with the perfect twist. The action comes to a head with a beautiful performance by Elisabeth Harnois and Sean Patrick Flannery. Mr. Flannery's performance throughout the film is warm, restrained and loving and his confusion is well done. As is Harnois' horror and realization as her hope is shattered.
The only thing I felt was off was Priestly's conversion. It robbed the character of his identity. He sold out; it really doesn't sit right with me. It left the plot a little unraveled with some frayed edges. And it's really not because Jensen Ackles is one of my boyz!! It's just not honest.
I am, however, impressed with the color of the piece: the humor, the sets and costumes. The art department did well in the warm atmosphere the film holds. It really invites you to live with these characters. Each of the "antagonists" is shown in earth tones, or sedate tones when their showdowns happen with our bistro workers, except for Priestly. Color is his tool for hiding and he sheds it to uncover himself. The photography is stunning with each shot bright and brilliant with the hope the story offers.
The story is intimate and well done. By the end, you love with the characters, you cry with them and you pull for your favorite couples while you are disgusted with others. Overall, the film is warm, loving, anti-prejudiced and full of hope.
****
In: Sean Patrick Flannery
Out: Clea Duvall
Coming Soon: Identity
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