Tramps

Tramps is a sweet 2016 urban romance very much of our time: Two young untried couriers, millennials Danny (Callum Turner) and Ellie (Grace Van Patten), are involved in a petty larceny for his brother involving switching briefcases. Inexperienced but charmingly boyish Danny switches the wrong one, and his convict brother is not happy.

James Bond or True Romance this mini-thriller is not. Director-writer Adam Leon has rather a story of two potential lovers running the streets and subways of Manhattan to find the right briefcase and set things right with his brother. The excitement is to see how these tyros can work things out and maybe fall in love in the meantime. The latter is slow to come and never overwhelming, given the two are also inexperienced in the exchange of love.

Yet, that simplicity of love and plot are cinematic elixir next to intricate super-hero or Scorsese-hoodlum thrillers. As the protagonists of Tramps show how they are not tramps but two engaging young folks trying to make some money in hard times.

The scenes in NY subways provide ample tension, as they always do, but the scenes in the burbs crackle with the urbanite fish-out-of water negotiating the home and lives of the snooty owners. The city/country contrast is more like a slapstick comedy than a mystery because they have only a small idea of how to find the rightful owner of the other bag.

Tramps is a soft mystery involving a babbling young man and a stony young woman, both out of their element. Helping them along is Leon's score peppered with folk and country music spot on for fitting sound with sense. Here's an enjoyable 82 min escape that brings home the joy of watching love take hold in a bizarre and soothing story. Thanks Netflix.

I saw the MA rating so I figured this is the movie to watch. Grace Van Patten is very attractive. I would've turned it off if it wasn't for her.

Gave it a generous 6 stars.

I did not see anything that would warrant an MA rating...maybe more like PG-13 ...

Beautiful, petty-larcenous losers find love on the run. Grace Van Patten as Ellie percolates the atmosphere with her effortless cool (she's cooler than a mint julep) and superb acting. She's a natural thriller that reveals a new layer with every frame she's in. I'm reminded of a young Shailene Woodley, only far prettier and more graceful. Callum Turner provides a perfect foil for Grace/Ellie as Danny. An awkward, stumblebum of sorts, who orbits Ellie, fully enthralled by her, as he should be. Despite their obvious differences, the two do share a strangely sublime chemistry on the screen together. It's always good to see the average dude get the hot chick. Their misadventures are fun to follow. There is even a Casablanca-esque moment (I won't say too much as to not spoil it) that would make old Bogie's heart skip. A progressive romcom that isn't afraid to laugh at itself. The negatives...the dialogue is under-imagined at times and only the two lead characters are memorable.

Unlikely partners as you almost certainly only get in movies. But it works quite nicely in this one. You have a boy and a girl who take on a job to earn some money. Now the job itself or the beginning of it, is really not well thought of. It's like why so complicated? Of course the script reason is because you need something to go wrong for things to start spinning and things to accelarate to a certain degree.

The main actors are doing a good job, if you don't mind the obvious indie movie flair it has. So there is a certain charme you either like or dislike. This will determine how much fun you'll be having watching the movie. Because we do go on a journey with them. It's important to care for them ... but you can tell they are not on top of their game yet. There is a certain flatness surrounding them ...

Danny (Callum Turner) gets a call from jail. His brother Darren wants him to deliver a suitcase but he won't reveal its content. He's paired up with driver Ellie (Grace Van Patten). She's also a tramp struggling through life. The exchange goes wrong and they have to go track down the suitcase.

It would be nice to know what the exact caper is supposed to be. That would make Danny's bumbling more compelling and funny. It could have been an energetic start but it would require more work from this indie. It takes awhile to get going and the two leads to have some fun dialogue. They are perfectly charming in the indie way. Callum has a good bumbling energy and Grace has a cool beauty about her. The dialogue has some funny moments but it needs more sharpening. The movie is infused with good New York energy. It's a meandering crime caper low budget indie and a functional rom-com. The more compelling relationship is actually between the two brothers.