'Lemon' is Head-Scratching, and Hilarious
If you're paying attention to the comedy that comes out today, you'll notice the genre has gotten pretty weird.
And how could it not? Comedy has always survived by standing an arm's-length distance away from reality, which itself has become so sensational that it plays like surrealist theater. Thus, comedy has had to move ever-nearer into absurdism, where heady wit reigns king.
This generation's comedy nerds, fringe-group geeks of too-cool tastemakers that eschew normalcy and dare you not to laugh at their impossible wit on display, are not unlike the Salon artists of post-realism Paris, who previously pissed off their predecessors for seemingly disrespecting the craft by dismantling the art from itself in the great pursuit of revealing the meaning behind it. Both camps revel in showcasing a dear cleverness and irony, which in both cases, is held as the highest currencies to the art forms, respectively.
In the age of the internet, there are collectives of alt-comics who have further developed a cool-kids language for the new school comedy scene – and among them are a pretty talented group of folks called JASH. As stated by their YouTube page, "JASH is a comedy collective featuring original content by partners Michael Cera, Tim & Eric, Sarah Silverman and Reggie Watts with additional contributions from their many friends." Under this no-meaning-moniker, it's all wacky and weird short films and other video content that circumvents conventional short films.
One such filmmaker of the JASH family (a previous short being "Gregory Go Boom" in which Michael Cera stars as a suicidal paraplegic) is writer and director Janicza Bravo, whose first feature film Lemon premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival as well as in Los Angeles at this year's NEXT FEST.
The self-staged seriousness of one man's spiral-diving life has enough fun by a host of comedians (Jon Daly and Jeff Garland also cameo) – if neurosis-obsessed humor is your thing.
Lemon has been getting reviewed as a cringe-inducing comedy, which is exactly what writer and director Janicza Bravo would like. Making her feature film debut, Lemon is the story of sad-sack Isaac (Brett Gelman, Bravo's real-life partner), a struggling L.A. actor whose life begins to slowly unravel when his girlfriend of ten years Ramona (Judy Greer) decides to leave him. The break-up is more or less the driving center of this absurdist comedy, of which a number of other nonsensical and low-stakes events orbit around. Some instances include amateurish theater scenes in which Isaac workshops Chekhov's "The Seagull" with two self-serious actors (Michael Cera and Gillian Jacobs) as well as celebrating Passover with his pregnant sister (Shiri Appleby) and quirky parents (Fred Melamed and Rhea Perlman).
All of the characters in Lemon suffer from the same flaw, either too confused or unable to read the emotional needs of their partners or own needs, which mirrors the way in which this generation has lost touch with basic connection to others, as well as our own self-serving needs, and unable to navigate these pithy life moments (which makes for fun, and these comedians' composure never cracks).
The movie is intentionally disjointed, disposing of each scene quickly when it's over. When the second act of Passover ends and we cut right back to Isaac in L.A., who has now met Cleo, a woman of interest (Nia Long), and takes to meeting her family (where the film more or less fizzles out). When "Lemon" inevitably finishes with poop comedy (Isaac not even thinking twice to fish a flung phone out of an excrement-filled toilet), the dumb humor only serves to remind you that nothing is meant to be precious.
While it's all utter nonsense, Lemon is still delightful and fun throughout its relatively short eighty-three-minute run-time. The self-staged seriousness of one man's spiral-diving life has enough fun by a host of comedians (Jon Daly and Jeff Garland also cameo) – if neurosis-obsessed humor is your thing. Lemon both challenges its audience to keep up with it as much as it does lazily move from beginning to end, a tension that remains in tact from beginning to end. If you want to see a movie that may make you as uncomfortable as it does make you laugh, and if you like your comedy brainy and re-wired for the IQ as "the cool kids" would have it, Lemon will tickle you in just the right way.
83 mins. 'Lemon' is not rated. Opening this Friday in select theaters including the Nuart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq-AHDVukoA
Sundance NEXT FEST Brings Festival Hits 'Lemon' and 'Gook' to Los Angeles
Every summer, the Sundance Film Festival brings a handful of films directly from Park City to Los Angeles to make their L.A. debut at Sundance NEXT FEST.
This diverse selection of films played in Sundance’s NEXT category – a category that showcases bold films by up-and-coming talents of tomorrow. The festival is held at the beautiful Ace Hotel Theater in Downtown L.A. and pairs comedy and musical acts with each film, making for a full night of entertainment.
This past weekend, Morgan and Ryan Rojas attended NEXT FEST and caught Lemon and Gook, two films that made our heads spin (along with musical acts Lizzo and Sleigh Bells – two female-fronted bands who brought the Ace Hotel Theater’s roof down).
Lemon (2017) Review by Ryan Rojas
Lemon has been getting reviewed as a cringe-inducing comedy, which is exactly what writer and director Janicza Bravo would like. Making her feature film debut, Lemon is the story of sad-sack Isaac (Brett Gelman, Bravo's real-life partner), a struggling L.A. actor whose life begins to slowly unravel when his girlfriend of ten years Ramona (Judy Greer) decides to leave him. The break-up is more or less the driving center of this absurdist comedy, of which a number of other nonsensical and low-stakes events orbit around. Some instances include amateurish theater scenes in which Isaac workshops Chekhov's "The Seagull" with two self-serious actors (Michael Cera and Gillian Jacobs) as well as celebrating Passover with his pregnant sister (Shiri Appleby) and quirky parents (Fred Melamed and Rhea Perlman).
While it's all utter nonsense, Lemon is still delightful and fun throughout its relatively short eighty-three-minute runtime. The deadpan seriousness of Isaac’s spiral-diving life is a fun time – if neurosis-obsessed humor is your thing. Lemon both challenges its audience to keep up with it as much as it does apathetically stroll from start to finish. It is an interesting tension that is kept intact from beginning to end. If you want to see a movie that may make you as uncomfortable as it does make you laugh out loud, and if you like your comedy brainy and re-wired for your IQ, then Lemon will tickle you in just the right way.
Lemon is not rated. 83 min. In select theaters this Friday.
Gook (2017) Review by Morgan Rojas
Writer/Director/Actor Justin Chon was just a boy during the L.A. Riots of 1992. He since took to filmmaking to express his experience as a Korean-American living through one of the city’s most infamously tumultuous times which, until now, has generally been considered a black/white issue. Chon’s latest film, Gook, gives audiences a fresh perspective of how the Rodney King riots affected the Asian population living in Los Angeles at that time. From destroyed businesses to strained cross-cultural relationships, this Sundance award-winning drama uses black and white cinematography to tell a truly unique story that celebrates the artistry in diverse voices.
Gook tells the story of two Korean American brothers, Eli and Daniel, who struggle to make ends meet by working in their late father’s shoe store, located in the South Central neighborhood of Paramount (a stone’s throw from Compton). The brothers’ tough exterior of gold chains and foul language may seem intimidating to outsiders, but that doesn’t deter 11-year-old Kamilla from hanging around them any chance she gets. Kamilla is a street smart, orphaned black girl whose own dysfunctional upbringing has her searching for the security of a family in unconventional ways. As racial tension runs at an all time high, the special bond between Kamilla, Eli and Daniel is put to the test in a major and life altering way.
Gook is not rated. 94 min. In select theaters this Friday.
'Brigsby Bear' Review: Kyle Mooney's Other-Worldly Fairy Tale
Isolated weirdos have always felt special in their own personally-built bubbles, in their own make-believe worlds of fantasy, so as not to feel the pains of real world living.
Their uber-oddness certainly would compound to the nth degree, no doubt, if that person was a social shut-in for their entire formative life, raised on the wacky Saturday morning adventure episodic's featuring a guy in a bear suit.
What kind of person would they be, and what kind of person would they be forced to become?
This is the premise of "Brigsby Bear." This comedy/drama tells the story of James Pope (Kyle Mooney), a young man who, years after he was abducted from his family by a pair of nutball wannabe-parents and raised on their public-access style television show about a time and space traveling bear, was released back into real world suburbia to make sense of real human relationships.
The awkward bubble-boy is played by Saturday Night Live's new kid Kyle Mooney, who came up with Brigsby Bear as a child and let the idea percolate into his mind. Mooney, who broke it big with internet videos from the comedic sketch group Good Neighbor, also brings his childhood pals in to direct and act in this unique film.
As a Mooney fan and Good Neighbor fan myself, I must say I was slightly disappointed and wish that there was some more comedy in it from their own sensibilities.
Mooney's brand of alt-comedy is awkward-irony and mixed with the heavy VHS-style nostalgia of the eighties and nineties. In "Brigsby Bear," he turns that ironic character into an innocent and deprived one, one that we feel sympathetic towards.
"Brigsby" is clever in a lot of ways. In other ways, not so much. After Mooney escapes the confines of prison life, he must learn what is out there in the real world, dealing with his parents as well as Detective Vogel (Greg Kinnear). Mooney's sole wish is to re-create and share Brigsby Bear with the world in a sort of "Me Earl and the Dying Girl" aesthetic. By its premise alone, it's clear that this film is more a family feel-good than a comedy for college kids. But hey, maybe if you'd spent your amateur career living in the absurd (as well as professional SNL life), you'd want to bring things back to reality. Or maybe you just played it a little too safe. Anyways, that's how the movie plays.
Mooney's passion project played at Sundance and it feels like a well-crafted festival hit. As a Mooney fan and Good Neighbor fan myself, I must say I was slightly disappointed and wish that there was some more comedy in it from their own sensibilities. Ultimately, "Brigsby Bear" is as conventional and heartwarming as a sit-com episode would be, which Mooney – like his characters – seems to live and love.
"Brigsby Bear" is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, brief sexuality, drug material and teen partying. 100 minutes. Now playing at ArcLight Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, and Pasadena.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEohOb38hhs
The Hermosa Beach Summer Movie Series Kicks Off This Weekend
This article was originally published in print in The Easy Reader
The city of Hermosa Beach is proud to bring back its Summer Movie Series, screening a series of films every Saturday throughout the month of August right on the beach under the summer night’s sky.
Presented by Subaru Pacific and produced by Saint Rocke, the movies are screened just south of the pier and are free to attend for people of all ages. Each film has a 6 p.m. start and a 7:30 p.m. screening start, so bring your picnic basket and blankets and sink your beach chairs into the sand for a fantastic selection of films.
The Karate Kid – August 5
The classic coming-of-age kung-fu movie The Karate Kid is the first film to kick the summer series off. This 1984 classic is the story of a bullied teenager, Daniel (Ralph Maccio), and the martial arts master, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who agrees to teach him the art of karate. With such unforgettable movie moments such as Miyagi’s curiously mystical training methods — making Daniel paint fences and wax cars (“on” and “off ”) — the film continues to be discovered by new generations and remains beloved. Need proof the movie’s a classic? The late Morita earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as the wise sensei Miyagi and the movie has spun two sequels and a major studio remake of the same name in 2010 starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. (Rated PG. 126 min.)
Moana– August 12
What better movie to watch at the beach with the kids than an animated movie about the beach whose title, in Hawaiian, means “ocean”? Released last year, Disney’s Moana is the story of a young Polynesian sea voyager named Moana (Auli’I Cravalho) who, when she learns that her island has been cursed by the demigod Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific to re-capture the heart of the goddess Te Fiti with the hopes of saving her island. Drawing on ancient Polynesian and Maori mythology, Moana is sure to delight and amaze people of all ages with its incredible hybrid-animation (while the film is computer animated, all of Maui’s tattoos are hand-drawn!) as well as original music (written by “Hamilton” creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda). (Rated PG. 107 min.)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – August 19
The ultimate slacker film about the perfect day of hooky will make you feel like a fun-times loving high schooler all over again. Starring Matthew Broderick as Ferris, the movie has become a classic tale of light-hearted teenage rebellion and coming-of-age since it first came out in 1986. Written and directed by the legendary John Hughes (The Breakfast Club), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off captures one cleverly-devised day when Ferris plans the ultimate sick day, getting his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) and best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to join him for a day out-on-the-town in Cam’s father’s prized Ferrari — much to the irritation of sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) and Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones). So SAVE FERRIS and relive the movie that will make you remember that “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” (Rated PG. 103 min.)
La La Land – August 26
Wrapping up the summer movie series is a film so near and dear to the city of Hermosa that you – quite literally – won’t even have to turn your head to see the pier when it pops up onscreen mid-way through the movie. The movie is La La Land, the dazzling modern-musical and love letter to big studio movies of yesteryear. La La Land tells the story of two artists who struggle to follow their dreams while falling in love, all while soft-shoeing across iconic landmarks the “city of stars” – Los Angeles. Come watch Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone (in a performance that landed Stone last year’s Best Actress Oscar) evoke the very best of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as they ballroom-dance across the Griffith Observatory night sky and hammer out jazz tunes at Hermosa’s legendary Lighthouse Café. (Rated PG. 128 min.)
'G-Funk' Review: Warren G's Account of West Coast Gangster Rap
Making its hometown premiere in Los Angeles, the city whose roots were, in part, defined by the rise of ’90s rap music, is “G-Funk,” the biography of rapper Warren G and of West Coast gangsta rap. The film played at the Ace Hotel Theater in Downtown LA as part of the 2017 LA Film Festival.
The release of "G-Funk" comes at a time where other rap icon biopics have hit the big-screen. Films include the critically and commercially successful NWA biopic, "Straight Outta Compton" as well as this year's (less-well received) Tupac Shakur biopic, "All Eyez on Me," which may speak to the larger movement of the recognition of ethnically-marginalized peoples (Black Lives Matter), and real-life stories.
"G-Funk" re-tells the largely familiar story of the rise of hip-hop music on the US coasts at the end of the '80s followed by the rise of rap music in the early '90s. What sets this film apart is the emphasis on the subgenre from which it became – "G-Funk" (short for Gangsta Funk), and the people that put it on the map – including Snoop Dogg, the late Nate Dogg, and the film's producer and creator, Warren G, whose careful supervision of how the story is told, and his portrayal, is evident.
"G-Funk" follows the influence that this one particular style of music had on American politics and culture at the end of the '80s and early '90s. In telling a story as familiar as this one, "G-Funk" had to overcome some obvious challenges: how do you tell yet another side of the rap movement, centered largely around a figure who might not be able to greenlight his own big studio movie, to a new generation of movie-goers?
In "G-Funk," one of its very own members of that new generation was hired to bring Warren G's vision to the big screen- 23-year-old director Karam Gill. Gill, a Chapman University graduate, may not have been born when G had made his contributions to the genre but was nonetheless hired to tell this all-encompassing story of rap, politics, culture, icons, and ultimately, the music.
[Karam] Gill might not have been the most obvious choice – an underdog, even, among his contemporaries – but he shows that he has both the drive and capability of realizing his vision and expressing his art. We learn that this is the type of role that Warren G played in the rise of G-Funk, as well.
One might wonder what Warren G saw in Gill that got him the job (Gill got the gig after attending one of Warren G's concerts, asking the rap star if he could shoot video of his concert, which, after being reviewed, was evidence that he could capably direct this movie). And perhaps there's an interesting parallel to be drawn between their pairing: Gill might not have been the most obvious choice – an underdog, even, among his contemporaries – but he shows that he has both the drive and capability of realizing his vision and expressing his art.
We learn that this is the type of role that Warren G played in the rise of G-Funk, as well.
We witness G’s earliest elementary school days, growing up with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg (MC-ing grade-school freestyles), through defining the G-Funk movement and later linking up with Dr. Dre (G's step-brother) to create era-defining beats including Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic.' "G-Funk" goes on to show the downfall of the genre – in the "Gangsta" lifestyle, filled with power struggles and politicking, with its guns, drugs, and gang-related violence so visibly captured in the East Coast vs. West Coast rap battles.
Along with Warren G and Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Russell Simmons, and Deion Sanders contribute their stories to this documentary, offering their insights over this time and movement and its place in history.
87 minutes. "G-Funk" is currently not rated and awaiting distribution.
'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Review: A Millennial Teen Makes for a Snappy Superhero
In this age where today’s moviegoing audiences roll their collective eyes over the sequels and remakes that now so frequently populate cineplexes across the country, it’s inescapable that the "Spider-Man" franchise is not brought up as one of Hollywood's biggest re-boot offenders, having wrapped the previous take with Andrew Garfield in the title role only three short years ago.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is the latest installment in the Marvel franchise, but thankfully, comes with a fresh new spin (pun intended).
Stepping into the web-slinger's new spandex – or rather, new suit that's as tech-filled and tricked out as Iron-Man's (the new suit being a present from Stark Industries) – is the young Tom Holland, the next British import to play the spider-bitten superhero following his predecessor Garfield. The young Holland, with his smaller-than-most build, lends pitch-perfect casting to the role, bringing a constantly-amazed, mouth-agape enthusiasm to this Peter Parker. Parker continues to count down the hours in the school day until he can begin his “internship” with Stark Industries and put on the Spidey suit and swing around the city, stopping petty thefts and burglaries, as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. This barely satiates his desire to fight real crime and super-villains (a desire that would give the Avengers a run for their money).
The millennial-set movie fits perfectly into the millennial-aged mindset of kids today, as the movie's high-school students refer to Spider-Man as "the Spider-Man from YouTube."
What makes "Homecoming" a winning outing is, apart from all of the fight scenes, how the movie portrays our super-hero as a regular old high-schooler, which director Jon Watts ("Cop Car") – and five other credited screenwriters of the film – tap into so well and get so hilariously spot on from start to finish. Exposing Peter’s nerdy sophomore existence, Watts and company perfectly portray Spider-Man experiencing all of young-adolescent life, getting teased by the likes of bully Flash (Tony Revolori), navigating flirtatious chemistry with school-mate Michelle (Zendaya), and hanging out with pudgy pal and best friend (and the movie's funniest character) Ned, (Jacob Batalon). And it’s Ned who helps Peter build a thousand-piece Lego Death Star while the two dream of becoming popular and catching the eyes of certain classmates. All of these things are as important to Peter as tracking down the Vulture (Michael Keaton), the city’s new supervillain who attempts to gain power by stealing new Stark Industries technology to develop other worldly weapons for the black-market.
Watts is also credited for casting a diverse group of high-schoolers who more accurately resemble the multi-ethnic swath of today’s kids, in roles that tap into the anxieties and pressures of young adult life. The millennial-set movie fits perfectly into the millennial-aged mindset of kids today, as the movie's high-school students refer to Spider-Man as "the Spider-Man from YouTube." While this formula makes for a winning outing, this reviewer is curious to see how far Peter will be stretched as the character matures through high-school and how these light hearted years will be managed and dealt with in future sequels as the stakes get higher. But for now, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" stands as one of Marvel’s most recent successes and one of this year's most entertaining big-screen events.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language, and brief suggestive comments. 133 minutes. Now playing in theaters everywhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTECkLZ8HM
'Baby Driver': A Total Joy Ride Fueled by a Killer Soundtrack
If you're looking for some excitement at the movies this summer, look no further than Baby Driver.
Written and directed by fanboys everywhere's favorite Edgar Wright, Baby Driver is a stylish explosion of a genre-blending action thriller, romantic heist movie and crime film all in one.
Driver centers around a kid named Baby (Ansel Elgort), a Wayfarers-wearing youth who keeps a mostly wordless demeanor (think Steve McQueen or Ryan Gosling's strong and silent type high school selves). After getting mixed up in a world of crime, Baby uses his talents behind the wheel as a getaway driver to pay off a debt to crime boss, Doc (Kevin Spacey).
Winding and wheeling his way around Atlanta's city streets, Baby evades the cops with devilish gear shifts and burnouts that will leave audiences totally floored (the movie uses no CGI for the car stunt work). Every hairpin turn of every getaway drive is accompanied by some carefully curated song queued up on his iPod. Baby Driver fuses getaway driving and rock radio so expertly, that if the movie was considered the engine, the music would be the fuel that keeps it roaring. After a traumatic car-collision leaves a childhood Baby parent-less and with an always-present ringing in his in ears, he drowns out his Tinnitus by listening to music, and at all hours of the day. Compulsively cranking classic rock cuts during his high-speed sprints or just serving up some old Soul tunes, music is as much Baby's secret weapon as it is his distraction.
Starting with the film's opening getaway chase, grooving along to the soundtrack is like rocking out at a concert. This neo-musical act continues through to the very end, where, after meeting the sweet, kind-eyed diner waitress Debra (Lily James), Baby decides to go straight and get out of the crime game – that is, if he can escape the ruthless Doc (Spacey) and the job's skizo thugs, Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Bats (Jamie Foxx).
...notice Ryan Heffington, the choreographer of Sia's "Chandelier" music video, is credited as the film's choreographer in the opening title credits.
Wright continues to prove he is truly one of today's most "visionary" directors. Fans of Wright's previous films (Sean of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs the World) will know that he has perfected a visual identity and humor all his own, but with Baby Driver, Wright brings those elements together to an even bigger stage.
Baby Driver is slick and effortlessly cool, where lane changes and car spins, camera zooms and cuts are all oiled up in perfect unison (notice Ryan Heffington, the choreographer of Sia's "Chandelier" music video, is credited as the film's choreographer in the opening title credits). The film's opening scene, one long uninterrupted take set to "Harlem Shuffle,” is an amazingly choreographed number (look for the song lyrics graffiti hidden on the sides of walls).
In the driver's seat is the baby-faced Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) in a role that requires the young actor to play both the strong and silent type while keeping his youthful aloofness intact. Wright’s remaining ensemble is just as well cast – it's always a treat to see Kevin Spacey play bad, as well as Jamie Foxx as a menacing character. Lily James delights as a Southern Belle, but the stand out performances must go to Jon Hamm, who sheds his Don Draper image for a villain with depth and CJ Jones– a real-life deaf stand-up entertainer who plays Baby's caretaker, who lends another great performance.
If you're looking for an adrenaline rush this summer, do yourself a favor. See Baby Driver in theaters. It's not only one of the best films of the summer, but of the year to date.
‘Baby Driver' is rated R for language throughout and violence. 113 minutes. Opening tomorrow in theaters everywhere.
'Dean' Review: A Familiar Tale of Millennial Rumination
Fans of stand-up comic Demetri Martin admire the comedian for his deadpan stylings and his detached persona, commenting on the rest of modern society through witty and dry observation.
His puns, plays-on-words, and general irony on all matters make his shtick and style one that's enjoyable to commiserate and laugh with. However, in the indie comedy Dean, which Martin wrote and directed as well as stars in as the titular character, Martin delivers a mild and familiar tale of New York and Los Angeles hipster moroseness. Unfortunately, last year's Tribeca Jury Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature sees Martin conform as a familiar hapless hipster trying to overcome writer's block, arrested development, shortcomings in love, and general self-pity, making Martin's last outing a disappointing dud.
As writer and director, Martin gives his personal life the semi-autobiographical treatment, as modern indie auteur fictionalizations treatment akin to 'Girls' and 'Master of None' have so recently done. Playing Dean, an illustrator who makes wry cartoons similar to New Yorker cartoons with a Woody Allen death-obsession bend, in where a looming Grim Reaper looms in his cartoons is large. These moments certainly shine more than Dean going through the motions of sulking as a depressed illustrator as merely a sketch of a person itself, who, after being confronted with his father's (Kevin Kline) decision to sell their family house after the recent passing of his mother, takes an impromptu trip to LA to figure out his life. Kevin Kline, self-help lover, and couch lover, is visited by Carol (Mary Steenburgen) and a middle-age romance is hinted at, which is almost half the movie, and also shows how also inadequately in love and confused we all are next to Dean.
..."Dean" trades all of Martin's interesting personality for a more conventional and formulaic hipster comedy that is largely as insufferable as he is.
An impromptu trip to LA has Martin get to show how much of a cog he is in the system as well as outside the system of hipster nonsense. LA brings about cliches about Vampire teen shows and “improv” comedy until he meets Nicky (Gillian Jacobs) as the quintessential LA girl you see her pixie self in Netflix’s 'Love,' falling for another hapless fella here. They have tepid romance and conversation, but after a quick return back to LA, it points out that nothing is happening, about as safe and boring as it could be.
While Martin has made a name for himself as an ironically detached and deadpan comic, Dean trades all of Martin's interesting personality for a more conventional and formulaic hipster comedy that is largely as insufferable as he is. While there are interesting storylines related to his father's unluck in love, as well as Martin's drawings and cartoons (personally, I would have loved to have seen an entire movie about just his cartoonist exploits), other movies about depressed illustrators trying to get out of their life ruts worth checking out are the Jemaine Clement starrer People Places Things as well as Mike Nichols' Beginners.
87 min. 'Dean' is rated PG-13 for language and some suggestive material. In theaters this Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a-TDnXEV7M