The Go-Getter

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Teenager Mercer steals a car and takes off across the wester United States to ease some of his recent personal grief. While driving, he makes an unusual connection with the girl he stole the car from, talking with her on the phone as he travels.

Written and directed by Martin Hynes and starring Lou Talor Pucci (Thumbsucker), Zooey Deschanel(Elf), and Jena Malone (Saved!), the film is actually very good. After first viewing it, I wasn't sure what to think about it, I didn't really get much out of it. But now, a few days after seeing it, it's actually stuck with me. There are some great scenes throughout the film. It does drag at some moments, but when the film was over, I looked back and realized without those dragging scenes, it wouldn't have possible to tell some of the next scenes.

The acting was great, with this and Thumbsucker, I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Pucci's work. I particularly love the scenes with him on the phone with Zooey, the owner of the car. The two are so perfect together, even though they have never met in person. But the director does a wonderful during those phone scenes, making it more than just two people talking on a phone.

The soundtrack is great. Songs from M. Ward, Elliott Smith, The Black Keys, and The Replacements, they all fit in perfectly with the film.

The director Martin Hynes was at the festival and he was extremely nice and helpful. I talked to him a lot of over the weekend (I feel kind of bad, I talked to him so much he was probably sick of seeing me). But he one of the nicest guys I've met at the festival over the years. I wish him all the best and am looking forward to seeing his next projects.

He had some great stories to tell about the making of the film. One actor in particular managed to get himself cast as three different characters in the film.

Search out this film, see it, then spread the word.

Apologies everyone, but I am totally in love with Zooey Deschanel. She coos on the phone, she dances in black and white, she even sings on the soundtrack in that dreamy, sleepy voice of hers ("When I Reach the Border"). And she does it all with casual grace, not nearly trying half as hard as most other actresses her age. I cannot wait to see her as Janis Joplin in "The Gospel According to Janis". Director Martin Hynes teams her up with a slightly quirky, yet very charming male lead (Lou Taylor Pucci). They take the laughter and the tears as the off-beat script sends them on a somewhat unusual road trip in pursuit of his past and her future, taking viewers right back to that magical nowhere land between adolescence and adulthood. They even get to play the identity game ("20 questions") twice, two thirds into the story and, again, in the closing scene. Essentially, "The Go-Getter" gives you romance minus the usual cheese. Think "Rushmore" meets "Elizabethtown", with a soulful indie soundtrack. Notable off-screen guest appearance by Brian McNamara as the voice of the book on tape.

On first glance the Go-Getter seems like another cliché coming of age road film but it does a great job of taking the familiar plot but focusing the film in an unique way. Lou Taylor Pucci plays Mercer a 19 year old who steals a car in order to inform his half brother he has not seen in many years that their mother has died. Mercer is all alone with no family but starts to strike up a unique friendship with Kate the women whose car he stole played by Zooey Deschanel who gives a wonderful performance and is one of the most talented and beautiful young actresses working today. The road trip is just a backdrop for developing the relationship between Kate and Mercer. Martin Hynes does a good job developing this relationship while at the same time juggling Mercer's journey to find his brother as well as his journey of self discovery. Hynes also shows some of his skill behind the camera by setting up some beautiful shots. There is a dream sequence where Mercer and Kate are running across a beach with cowboy hats shooting at each other with old western style cap guns in slow motion with wash out colors and a glaring sun. There is even a great Godard reference with a recreation of that fantastic dancing scene in Band of Outsiders in addition to jump cuts used when Mercer and Kate first meet under duress. The conversations between Mercer and Kate are well written and shot and make up the core of this film. These conversations happen over the phone and as the film progresses and the better they get to know each other these scenes are shot with the actors talking directly to each other but with their voices dubbed with how they sound coming out of the phone. There is an impressive soundtrack with many great indie rock songs to set the mood such as tons of songs from M. Ward (who has a small cameo), Black Keys, Animal Collective and even an Elliot Smith song. This film may look like the same in a long line of "quirky" indie films but the cinematography, unique structure and acting really give this film a polish some of its contemporaries may lack.

Mercer steals a car to track down his loser half-brother only to forge an unrealistic "bond" with the car's owner. Along the way he finds his way through a number of "quirky" encounters that help him appreciate his life and grow.

There are some very neat camera tricks and shots, especially how they "show" the phone conversations between Mercer and the woman from whose car is now in his possession. However, much of the film is shot using a poor hand held technique that can dizzy up the audience, something fierce. I too saw this at AFF and walked out due to motion sickness and a general lack of caring about the characters and story.

I found this movie to be awfully trite and derivative of other indie dramedies. The script is dreadful as characters react to in random and pointless ways. It read more like a parody of "quirky indie dramadies" than it actually is one. People do not act and talk the way the characters do in this film, the script limps along from improbable scenario to another, helped by weak performances and characters who are never fully realized. Zooey Deschanel comes across as creepy in her initial conversations with Mercer.

If this is what makes an indie hit, the movement is clearly losing steam.

This is a fairly enjoyable road movie that mixes elements of romance, comedy and coming- of-age genres. We follow young Mercer's quest to find his half-brother after their mother's death. He steals a car travels many miles and meets many odd characters along the way.

Writer/director Martin Hynes probably tries too hard to concoct an odd story and as a result, the entire film feels a little too self-conscious at times. You can feel the writer's effort to make the various people odd, as opposed to organic and real.

Lou Taylor Pucci gives a solid performance as the protagonist, Mercer. Jena Malone is great as usual, although her part doesn't add much to the story except as a plot element. I'm a big fan of Zooey Deschanel and here she shines again as Kate, the stolen car's owner who connects by phone with Mercer and has conversations with him. This not only provides the most interesting story elements but also serves as an interesting device for the audience to know what Mercer (rather the quiet type) is thinking and feeling throughout his road trip.

Many other character appears, many of which are played by actors you will recognize and have enjoyed at one time or another. The one who stood out to me was Bill Duke, better known for his many roles in 80s action flicks.

The cinematography is adequate, although a little distracting at times. Any road movie benefits immensely from a good score/soundtrack and this is definitely the case here. The music that is featured in The Go-Getter enhances the movie experience greatly and, along with the solid acting, is probably what prevents us from completely losing interest.

Although I think Martin Hynes shows real talent, I think this is yet another case of an indie- movie that could have benefited from more people being involved in the formative stage. A second writer might have tightened things up considerably and led to a classic.

As it is, the movie is enjoyable but we are left on our appetite considering the amazing cast and music featured here.