Heather Graham is here to prove that she is more than just the stereotypical leading lady she’s been known to play.
She’s got a voice and right now is the perfect time to use it. Taking to the big screen, Graham shows off her directorial and screenwriting skills with her feature film debut, Half Magic. The satirical comedy, which is loosely based off of her own unjust and, at times, demeaning experiences in Hollywood, is the female-driven movie we should all be watching. If there were ever a movie to propel the #MeToo and “Time’s Up” movements to the forefront of conversation, it would be Half Magic.
Young Honey (Chloe Graham) grew up believing that sex comes with a stigma attached, as is relatively common within devout Christian belief systems. These sexual insecurities have grown to affect both her personal and professional relationships. Now a young adult, Honey (Heather Graham) finds herself working in the entertainment industry in L.A. as an assistant– with dreams of making it as a screenwriter– to both boss and boyfriend, Peter (Chris D’Elia). Peter is the embodiment of a male chauvinist pig, some of his notable one-liners include, “If you want to make a good story, you gotta write about a man,” and “I’m not against women’s rights, I’m just saying there’s no market for their films.”
Fed up with not being taken seriously, Honey finds comfort in the women-led support group run by a flamboyantly fabulous leader (Molly Shannon) who encourages women to “embrace the power of their pussies.” It’s during one of these body appreciation exercises when Honey meets Eva (Angela Kinsey) and Candy (Stephanie Beatriz), two women who are also struggling with various degrees of sexism, bad relationships, and low self-esteem in their own lives.
The common thread running through the film stands as a powerful message to women everywhere – you are deserving and capable of what you want, now it’s up to you to get it.
The women take to each other quickly, like kindred sexual spirits, and support each other in trying to tackle the negativity in their lives. Through friendship, the women learn what it takes to stand up for themselves and how to tap into the power of self-confidence. The road to self-love and acceptance isn’t easy or without detours, but in the end, Honey and the gang come to the realization that the key to happiness lies within, and isn’t that something we could all be reminded of?
At its core, Half Magic is a story about female empowerment in friendships, careers, and sexual experiences. While the situations the protagonist finds herself in are comical and look like caricatures of the current political workplace environment (due to a solid performance from funnyman Chris D’Elia), the common thread running through the film stands as a powerful message to women everywhere – you are deserving and capable of what you want, now it’s up to you to get it!
‘Half Magic’ is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and drug use. 94 minutes. Now playing at the Vintage Los Feliz Theatre and on VOD and Digital HD.
