After We're Over

Incredibly boring film. Slow pacing, little character development, stock cliché lines. It's like if you overheard the most boring, uninteresting, middle-class couple in a restaurant and decided to follow them around for an hour and 20 minutes and listen in on their inane conversation and superficial problems. The writer tries too hard to make their dialogue seem "natural", but it just gives the whole thing this uncanny/cringey feeling of overacting and drama.

It turns out the 'writer'/'director' is from St. Louis, so a lot of the film comes of as a way for him to show off the city, like everything is a big cameo of well-known St Louis places and cultural references, at the expense of any actual plot or narrative devices. That pretty much solves the mystery of how this won the "audience choice award" there; name drop any city enough and the residents will eat it up.

I had no idea what the movie was about going in. I hadn't seen a trailer. I hadn't read a review. I was going in blind, and I'm glad I did! It was a pleasant surprise. AFTER WE'RE OVER is a wonderful character study, focusing entirely on two people (Sazerac and Zelzah), ex-lovers who reunite after a year. The film is beautifully shot and well-acted. I especially enjoyed how the film seamlessly cut between past and present, between the "good times" of their relationship and the awkward/painful reunion. And the ending (NO SPOILERS) is poignant and profound. It truly captures the essence of modern-day love & breakups. Not to mention, it's also a love letter to St. Louis. Any St. Louisans out there should definitely check it out!

I loved following these two characters and seeing how their relationship and sense of self develops throughout the course of this film! The dialogue is very well written and had the perfect mix of fun and emotional moments. And the actors are so talented and had the attention of the audience the entire time as they made us go from laughing to smiling to tearing up. And the cinematography is very modern and impressive. I constantly was thinking "wow that's an amazing shot." And I love how much this movie showed us St. Louis-- a city I've never been to but now must visit! Overall, definitely check out this movie, it's a delight.

I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this film - from the script to the acting and the editing to the cinematography, every piece of this film worked. While there are really only two actors, the city of St. Louis takes up all the space the rest of an ensemble cast would occupy. Although this is a film about love, lost and found, that message of love transcends the boundaries of dialogue and is extended to the setting. Anyone who has been in a failed relationship or two will instantly identify and experience an immediate empathy for the protagonist(s) in this deeply human movie - I highly recommend!

After We're Over is a fascinating movie about hope for a love gone south. The plot is believable. The characters are likable and relatable. These are people who care deeply about one another. Viewers cannot help but care about them too. Yet. Is this enough? Can these two former lovers reconnect? The story unfolds in seemingly slow motion. Set in the quiet dark of winter adds to the emotion. However, the film's end, whatever we viewers hope for, is inevitable.

This film's writing has a maturity that so many relationship movies don't achieve. No sugary lines. No cheap shots. The plot relies on sound dialog to capture viewers. It builds efficiently with grace and speed. It ends with awe for the makers of this film.