Beautiful Loser

I loved this movie. Clearly the director/writer gave inordinate thought and time to crafting a movie that not only moved me to tears at the time I saw it in Philly, but to put it in my memory. I have thought about it so many times and wondered, what would I do? I know what I would do--in a second, if I were ever given the choice---but what would John Nolte do? This is a movie for people who think and love. It was interesting to hear the discussion of the movie at the festival. People gave the theme and story real thought. Not many movies today ask us to think--and those that do have us thinking about war and violence, not about love and forgiveness. What a rare hour or two--the movie is challenging--thinking is even required to learn who the characters are--just like it takes time to learn who our friends really are and wonder who they might have been when they were young. With any luck, there are still plenty of people who want to think in the world--this movie needs to be seen. Whenever it comes out to the public at large, it will be a great success because people will tell their friends, and they will tell their friends, just like I have done.

the festival program description made it sound like a normal, everyday coming of age story with a group of friends who look back on life and wonder how it all went wrong. i don't want to spoil it, and the a lot of the movie is like that, but then again its not. but it worked for me, especially the spiritual scenes which were touching.

the acting is wonderful. with two actors for each main character (one a teenager, the counterpart around forty) the friendship between the 3 main characters was strong. you really felt they'd known each other all this time and it was nice how they looked after one another.

my favorite scenes were between young Reggie (Gordo from Lizzie Maguire) and Tracy, the love of his life, and way out of his league. He was a little obnoxious and sad, but always endearing. you do hope he wins her.

I also saw the film at the Philadelphia Film Festival and I agree with the other reviewers that there was a lot to think about in this film. It did take me a little while at the beginning of several scenes to figure out which set of characters I was seeing, the teenagers or the adults. But once all the characters were introduced, it was easy to follow. The film is beautifully shot. Where did the director find a corn field in LA? (where he said it was filmed) and I loved the soundtrack. The music was never cloying or over-used but fit the scenes thematically.

I liked the notion of the adults returning to their memories (good and bad) as we really do in life...remembering conversations, regretting actions or inactions, for what seems like FOREVER. The movie reminded me of the film Memento, because of the unusual "chronology" of events, but that only made the choices the characters make seem even more poignant. Great acting....it's hard to believe this film was made by a first-time director. Funny, moving, sweet, sad and real!