If you watch just the one movie this year in hope it inspires the film director in all of us to get out there and give it a go, then make it Greg W. Locke's Forever Into Space, a feature film made for less than $1000 in the hustling and bustling surrounds of New York City and an example of just what can be achieved with little financial means and a whole lot of ambition.
No doubt taking its cues from small budget indies such Clerks (Space is filmed in a wonderful black and white aesthetic even), Locke's film is small on events and big on dialogue and character and finds life in the streets of New York, whether it be the local Hot Dog vendors, the beaches or the forlorn looking subway stations and based on what's on display here it's clear Locke is a filmmaker that has a keen eye, suggesting a life a feature film director isn't beyond him.
Where Space falls a little short is in its aforementioned dialogue and for a film based almost entirely around the conversations these gen X's have about life, love, work and all the in-betweens it's a shame more of the scripting didn't ring truer. Some conversations feel a little to forced, moments of spontaneous hilarity feel anything but and by the films conclusion after near 2 hours of run time, you can't help but wish that we had gotten more from our time spent with this often hapless characters.
While the conversations had and scenarios slightly amiss, Space does find some committed and likable acting turns in its group of struggling to mature New Yorkian's led by the impressive Kelly Sebastian as our main protagonist Audrery. Audrey is a Frances Ha like character, over educated and over amiable and finds herself lost in life where blogging has become her job and money is something you borrow from your older sister. The group Audrey spends time with including test subject and possible love interest Ollie played by Oliver Fetter and her friend Lauren who has a somewhat suspect career choice are all just as lost as Audrey. These friends are for better or worse relatable and I'm sure we will all find someone here that we know in real life.
Progressing at a pace perhaps to slow for many and without concrete resolutions, Forever Into Space may not be everyone's cup of tea but it's certainly an impressive near on no budget feature film from Locke and a great example of filmmakers just getting out there and doing it, not waiting for their turn to come, but demanding it.
3 bathtub held life musings out of 5
