Expired

Expired is one of those films that remind you about simply just being human. I was fortunate enough to watch this at it's Los Angeles screening. I found myself, as the story went along watching the audience just as much as the characters on the screen. The story is exquisitely woven, I felt the writer was a maestro just when I felt like laughing I wanted to cry. There were moments so poignant that even as the film progressed you find yourself thinking back to those scenes. This film is an emotional roller coaster, but worth the ride. Basic human emotion, empathy and relationships, this is the film to watch. No bells and whistles, just magnificent writing and performances. Jason Patric gives the performance of a lifetime and Samantha Morton is the reflection of the human soul.

about halfway through this film i came here to see if i should continue... like i said, 'not easy viewing'. granted, i've seen 'harsher' films...slower films...less 'adrenalized' films...and many films that TRY to be this film that, at the end, i sit and wonder, 'WHY did i put myself through THAT?!!?!' but i knew that when i got to the end of this ride, i had come to the end of some brave storytelling... the strong point of this film would seem to be the casting/execution of parts...everyone seems to excel in communicating their part of the story...and it IS both dark and quirky...and designed to not 'coddle' us, unlike so many stories with their eye on success. not that i'm knocking success... but the point, i guess, is that this IS a success although i doubt it will EVER be a best seller... like i said, brave story telling...moments of absurdity(takes comic relief a step further) relief... if you didn't find this comment helpful, why'd you read this far?

Expired world-premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival to outstanding reviews. It is probably one of the best reviewed films at the festival. I saw the movie with a thousand plus audience - and all I can say: THIS IS A MUST SEE FILM! Expired is a turbulent love story (to say the very least) between LA parking enforcement officer Claire and LA parking enforcement officer Jay. Simply put, Samantha Morton is outstanding, so is Jason Patrick. With respect to Jason Patrick, most likely his best performance to date. I caught a review in USA today, which says:"Patric plays a violence-prone hot-head, who may be one of the nastiest dinner date since Joe Pesci in Goodfellas." I have to agree. He's something else. Not sure how - what Italian born filmmaker Cecilia Miniucchi did with her actors, the chemistry between the two leads makes everybody in the audience twitch on their seats. What direction!!

When it comes to the theaters, go check out this unlikely romance. You'll see that I wasn't exaggerating one bit.

This was the first movie we attended at Sundance 2007. There was quite a bit of food for thought in this movie. The main character, Claire, is a very likable person who is quite lonely. Because of her desperation, she finds herself dating a totally reprehensible person "Jay" (Jason Patric). He was such a horrible person that I had a hard time seeing just why Claire continued to let him into her life. At one point in the movie, Claire's character implored Jay to "be nice to me." That was a very poignant moment in the film. As I said earlier, this movie had lots of food for thought, most of it about why women are attracted to men who seem like jerks to the rest of the world. The movie truly didn't answer these questions, and it was a depressing film to watch. Teri Garr was very good in a dual role as Claire's stroke affected mother and as her perfectly healthy but obnoxious aunt. Samantha Morton was brilliant as Claire, and Jason Patric also did a wonderful job. It was a movie that was quite difficult to watch, however, so I don't know how successful it will be.

She starts by telling us she is the most hated in the world. That's because of her profession, but her attitude towards life is really much like the hated one. This woman, Claire, is shy, a loser, and she doesn't expect to be anything else. But there really isn't anything tragic about it.

Then this man turns up. An emotional invalid and an impossible love relation starts. These are people who don't take anything for granted. He's aggressive about it, she isn't.

Samantha Morton is tremendous in this part as a completely non-boring bore. She teaches us that you can live a life without success. And that life is a true one.