Actors are immediately charming as they appear on screen, but the script is stilted for a good half hour till the hotel room moment - TV movie stilted: clichè, not crafted, weak dialogues, overuse of "Carter" and "Grace".. it seems just put together in order to create the meeting between the leads. I have nothing against the situation being clichè, but you should at least try to put your own touch and give it some originality or heart, both clearly lacking. I understand it's just an appetizer to the actual scope of the movie but I'd argue it can't be an almost 30mins long starter if you don't have an idea for it and it's just a filler, rather than a proper, articulated intro.
As soon as the movie turns into the mutual discovery, dialogic part - things change. Not right off: as they're in the bar, it still feels scripted. Lines are delivered as bullets, taking turns, in an unnatural way. Slowly warming up towards the end of the scene. There's a clear change in tone and quality as soundtrack and walking starts. The intimacy and easiness between the two grows beautifully, Scarpellino does a great job at keeping an impudent demeanor as a facade for a sadness that develops in time, as does Band with Grace's natural empathy blossoming, being let out as the night goes on.
It has nothing of the depthness of Before Sunrise or Lost in Translation. It's more on the Before We Go league (for the last hour), or one step below: endearing, pleasant chemistry between the leads, lovely self-references in the final part.
Review by JoJoConejoBlockedParent2022-10-17T21:07:48Z
Actors are immediately charming as they appear on screen, but the script is stilted for a good half hour till the hotel room moment - TV movie stilted: clichè, not crafted, weak dialogues, overuse of "Carter" and "Grace".. it seems just put together in order to create the meeting between the leads. I have nothing against the situation being clichè, but you should at least try to put your own touch and give it some originality or heart, both clearly lacking.
I understand it's just an appetizer to the actual scope of the movie but I'd argue it can't be an almost 30mins long starter if you don't have an idea for it and it's just a filler, rather than a proper, articulated intro.
As soon as the movie turns into the mutual discovery, dialogic part - things change.
Not right off: as they're in the bar, it still feels scripted. Lines are delivered as bullets, taking turns, in an unnatural way. Slowly warming up towards the end of the scene.
There's a clear change in tone and quality as soundtrack and walking starts.
The intimacy and easiness between the two grows beautifully, Scarpellino does a great job at keeping an impudent demeanor as a facade for a sadness that develops in time, as does Band with Grace's natural empathy blossoming, being let out as the night goes on.
It has nothing of the depthness of Before Sunrise or Lost in Translation. It's more on the Before We Go league (for the last hour), or one step below: endearing, pleasant chemistry between the leads, lovely self-references in the final part.