Landline

I was rather surprised by Landline. For one thing it's about two sisters and neither had an infectious disease neither was a serial killer, prostitute or wearing spandex in the Marvel Universe.

Just some real drama and although spotty here and there script wise there was some really very telling moments about the sisters here. The big deal in the film is that dear old dad is something of a 'man whore' I suppose you'd say. Played rather carelessly by fine actor John Turturro. The guy is honestly a bit of a slump.

More interestingly is the affair of the older sister Dana, played very nicely by actress Jenny Slate, she and her younger sister Ali, Abby Quinn are sterling as sisters, really sympatico.

The ending felt right as well with dad slumping in, I mean I don't see Harvey Weinstein catching a break!

Still, sisters rarely get to be shown on the big screen and here I liked the tough but knowing interplay between them. I'd of liked to see more of them if this were a series instead of a movie.

There is some drag however, a sort of malaise to the action that draws on too long. The film could have used a more savvy Editor, I hate to get tech with you here, I mean this isn't AFI... but the Editor is very, very important! Especially one who isn't swayed by a Director who is often a tad too close to the material.

Lastly is the time 1995, wow, I'd forgotten how cool it could be back then. It was great to see this decade again. Which is surprising to say the least!

See Landline, some of you may really hate it but I think many of you might like it too.

Landline Cheating on your spouse in the 1990s was more acceptable because the President was doing it. However, according to this comedy it didn't make it any less upsetting on the children. While twenty-something-year-old Dana (Jenny Slate) is cheating on her fiancé (Jay Duplass) with her ex (Finn Wittrock), she learns from her teenage sister Ali (Abby Quinn) that their father (John Turturro) has been having an affair on their mother (Edie Falco). This bombshell not only helps to reconnect the estranged siblings, but also forces Dana to confront her own infidelity and for Ali to face her growing drug addiction. While it's enjoyable to relive the nineties, there is little else to enjoy about this run-of-the-mill period piece. With a derivative narrative about a New York affair, flat punch lines and unlikeable leads, Landline is best left disconnected. Besides, who needed to cheat in the 1990s when landlines offered 3-way? Red Light

A school of thought says that monogamy is enhanced by infidelity, a counter-intuitive theory that writer/director Gillian Robespierre and writer Elisabeth Holm appear to support in their engaging comedy, Landline. The family of two girls, Dana (Jenny Slate) and Ali (Abby Quinn), Mom (Edie Falco) and Dad (John Turturro) are in constant dysfunctional mode with two major infidelities and a few drugs.

It's really a dramady because the resolutions of conflicts rest in some serious soul searching while the writers have kept enough light tone to lift spirits when gloom seems to be the order of the day. Laughs are more an expression of agreement that life is messy. The antidote is humor and love.

Easy enough when dad cries out that his infidelity is borne of never being what his wife wanted him to be. Then Dana embarks on an affair to neutralize her fears of marriage. Both indiscretions seem to be rooted in insecurity.

This bright indie respects the humanity of its characters so that it makes no judgment but rather celebrates their weaknesses and emphasizes their strengths and also believes that in 1995 the world is ready for an easy bridge from tape to floppies to digital, from eyebrow rings to tattoos.

The film's good will extends to minor characters like Dana's lover,Nate (Finn Whitrock), a pleasant former school chum with a resemblance to John Davidson, in other words wholesome with a cute smile. The film allows that such a romance is not outlandish, just morally questionable so as to endanger her engagement. Equally so dad's affair, although we never get to know his paramour.

Mostly Landline is about people who stay connected, not by current restrictive social media but by talking. This retro way of communicating might be the film's subtle prescription for long-term happiness.

Overall I give it two thumbs up. It was comical and witty.

"Landline" (2017 release; 93 min.) brings the story of the Jacobs family. As the movie opens, we are reminded that it is "Labor Day, 1995". The family (husband Alan, wife Pat, grown-up daughter Dana and her fiancé Ben, and HS senior Ali) are driving back to New York City from their country estate. Everyone settles back in: Dana works are an indie newspaper, and Ali is supposed to start her last year of high school but has drugs on her mind more than books. It's not long that Ali finds out that dad (Alan) may be having an affair, much to the horror of Ali and Dana. Meanwhile, Dana bumps into an ex-boyfriend at a party she is attending with Ben. At this point we're not even 15 min. into the movie. What will become of all these characters? To tell you more of the plot would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie marks the reunion of writer-director Gillian Robespierre and producer-actress Jenny Slate, who previously collaborated on "Obvious Child" (Slate's break-out role). Here they bring another movie that is billed as a comedy, but in reality is just as much a relationships drama. And there is plenty of drama (biting my lip--mustn't spoil!). Of course there are plenty of lighter moments too. One can't help but smile when we see Dana check her voice mail by calling from a public phone, and many other such 90s-specific things. Jenny Slater once again shines in this movie, and it is her character that seems most authentic--in contrast to her sister Ali, who is supposed to be a HS senior, but comes across much older. John Turturro (as Alan) and Jay DuPlass (as Ben) are in fine form as well. Bottom line, this movie kept my attention from start to finish, and I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to these characters when the end titles started rolling, the surest sign that I enjoyed this movie quite a bit.

"Landline" premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival to positive buzz. The movie finally opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday matinée screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great (about 10 people). Hopefully this movie will benefit from positive word-of-mouth as well as wider exposure on VOD, and eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Landline" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!