You Are Alone

If you're tired by the same repetitive, unintelligent material that the mainstream movie industry releases, you'll enjoy "You Are Alone". It is thought provoking, well shot and riveting.

Without revealing anything that you don't find out in the first few minutes of the movie, this is the story of a young white high school girl from an upper middle class environment who is working as an escort and is discovered by her neighbor. The vast majority of the movie occurs in a hotel room where he hired her to come.

Through their discussion, you explore two shifting views of prostitution, depression, loneliness. Yet the movie is not depressing. It talks about dark things without being depressing.

As a viewer, your emotions and preconceived notions are moved around, but gently. You come out of it with a lot to think about. I like that in a movie.

I caught this at the Chicago IndieFest and have to say YOU ARE ALONE is a lot funnier than the other reviews and even the website would lead you to think. Not HA HA Wedding Crashers' funny, but sick, twisted, I can't believe she just said that but it's so damn true funny.

Jessica Bohl, who deservedly won Best Actress, is amazing to watch. There's never a moment when you think oh, I'm watching a movie and she's an actress. She's too damn real for words.

In fact there's 2 scenes that I'm still giggling over, and I won't give them away, but in one she's in the bathroom talking about how much she gets paid for performing a certain service and how "awesome" it is. (I almost wonder how many people in the audience are secretly thinking the same thing!!!)

In another she talks about a teenagers definition of "sex" versus an adults, and if it isn't the truest dialog I've heard in a movie in a long time, I don't know what is.

Initially I wasn't especially interested in watching this movie but figured I'd watch something different for a change of pace-I'm glad I did. It's not a particularly engaging film but if you pay close attention to the relationship between the two characters the plot unfolds quite nicely with a shocking twist at the end. Very unexpected conclusion and a very interesting journey throughout the film with really raw emotional risks taken by both of the main characters. Really solid, well written film that delivers.

Striking, intelligent micro budget film about loneliness, as captured during an afternoon encounter between a Yale bound high school senior who's a prostitute in her spare time, and an older, depressed neighbor.

Both the film and the two generally excellent lead performances (by unknowns Jessica Bohl and Richard Brundage) do get stagy at times. The film takes place largely in one room. And I wish I didn't see the twist ending coming. In fact, I sort of wish it wasn't there at all. While it almost works, I didn't think the film needed it, and it felt tacked on, as if from another, more conventionally 'dramatic' film.

The film is at it's best when it's dealing in simple emotional honesty, and the complexity of these characters lives. That's where this film shines – in avoiding the clichés we've come to expect in two characters like this. She may be living a dark existence, but she's getting something from it too. He's a man who can't let himself even indulge in fantasy, and it's part of why he's so blocked as a human being.

For a film that's all about sex and sexuality, it's surprisingly chaste, while still having uncomfortable erotic overtones and questions – both for the characters and the audience. Are we sick for having moments when this young girl turns us on? Is she sick for enjoying that power?

I also appreciated that the dialogue is often elliptical, and that silence is as important as words.

Not quite a great film, but an impressive effort to do something original.

So I saw this on Amazon Prime and the synopsis looked interesting. Having a couple of hours spare, I thought I'd give it a go.

When it started it did suffer from the trait of super low budget films where the camera was just too close to the actors faces and I considered cutting it short. However, there was something interesting in the characters and whilst I initially railed against Buddy's puritanical interrogation of Daphne, I found myself wanting to know more about both of them and actually see them get it on.

Whilst Daphne's body is lovely to look at, it wasn't the titillation of seeing sex but rather watching two clearly lonely individuals experience a meaningful physical connection.

The film raised questions about prostitution, about appreciating the female form and what power/control that brings and about the crippling feeling of loneliness. It recognised the fantasy fulfillment and sexual needs that it satisfies but it also broached how it can be a way of making a physical connection with another human for a brief period of time.

Richard Brundage does well but I have to commend Jessica Bohl's acting. Whilst she is pleasing to the eye, it's the self assured confidence that she has, or rather portrays in her role, that is so arresting. She comes across as both level headed, capable and responsible but also approachable and vulnerable. I've not researched the careers of anyone connected with the film but I certainly hope that she, and the director, have used their talent to go further in this field.

Overall, a surprising low budget gem that has left an impression on this old and sometimes melancholic guy.