In Memory of My Father

I had the pleasure of screening Christopher Jaymes' In Memory of my Father at the San Diego Film Festival last month and was completely swept off my feet. Possibly one of the most natural and well written scripts I have seen brought to life on the big screen. Full of raw, genuine emotion, this film puts the audience on location and inside the debauchery of "Dad's" wake. IMOMF is truly an unfeigned plunge into second generation Hollywood royalty. Experience three brothers coming to terms with their own quandaries, flaws, and failings amidst a bribe-driven documentation of their retired film producer father's wake. This film is brilliant. Not one single less-than-stellar performance made by any of IMOMF's amazing cast. Complemented by a phenomenal soundtrack (Belle and Sebastian's "Lord Anthony" never sounded so good), this film inspired me and reminded me why I love movies. In Memory of My Father is fresh, beautifully shot, deeply moving and at most times hilarious… a movie that everyone can identify with in some way. Christopher Jaymes wore all of the hats on this project: writing, directing, producing, editing, and starring (not to mention the great original music he did for the film). I spoke with Chris after the screening and wished him the best of luck, but this kind of talent needn't any luck. Go see this film. Nine out of ten stars in hopes that Chris will keep writing and directing. Plus the guy posts in his own forum, how cool is that?

I can not imagine a funnier or more poignant film than "in Memory of My Father". I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair and I was restrained compared to the audience around me. Eric Michael Cole might be the finest actor of his generation, and I use the word fine to to describe both his performance and his looks. I think I'm in love. I know I am not the first person to compare writer/director/ star Chris Jaymes to a modern day Chekov, and I am sure that I will not be the last. His sense of irony and the outrageous combines flawlessly with his universal understanding of family friendship, and of course "the biz" to create a mix of "The Big Chill" "The Player" and "Dazed and Confused". I couldn't have had a more pleasurable ninety six minutes, and look forward to its wide release. I only hope my funeral will be this exciting.

A story of human nature... deceptively intelligent. A younger, more edgy Woody Allen. The performances are strangely human, it's difficult to tell sometimes whether they are improvised or rehearsed as the quality of performances are impressive. It's a movie that doesn't question itself.

I was going to this movie thinking that I was about to see a head-on point of view on sons dealing with the death of their father. But this is a much more subtle film. The death of the father gives the film a mournful background on which great comedy and drama will take place.

I laughed out loud at several places and it is indeed a very funny movie but it also contain some profound thoughts and lessons of life. I love the way the sons can't deal with the death of their father and instead are concentrating on other problems in their lives making the absurd wake even more twisted. The music is great and I love this movie to bits. It is a movie which is truly complex, funny and beautiful and I really can't wait to see it again.

With 'In Memory of My Father', relatively new auteur Christopher Jaymes has created the perfect depiction of loss, depression, selfishness, love, and jealousy as applied to one family.

How do we deal with loss? We drink. We get high. We have sex. We escape from loss, but the characters in 'In Memory…' get no such escape. Even with sex, drugs, and alcohol none can escape the hell dad's death has created. It takes the length of the film for the brothers to discover what has actually happened: that they are alone, that their father is exactly the man they remember, and that they always knew it. They can't escape their past, they can't escape their present, and they're damned to a future that resembles that of their father's life. Surrounded by family, but dying alone.

The aesthetic style of 'In Memory…' evokes a slight documentary feel, much like 'The Office' and 'Arrested Development'. Characters address the cameras, but as the story progresses, we leave the device behind and focus on the drama, comedy, and the bitingly funny stirring of the soul that develops.

Witty, poignant, brilliant, filled with squeamishly uncomfortable moments and mouth-agape situations, 'In Memory…' is most honest movie to come along this year, and I only hope Jaymes is able to continue making films of this caliber.