The Go-Getter

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.

Greetings again from the darkness. Saw this one at the AFI Film Fest and fully expect it to be on my top ten list at year end. This is everything I love about going to the movies ... great script, stunning photography and realistic performances all wrapped up in a straight-from-the-soul package delivered by a passionate writer-director who refused to compromise on his vision.

Lou Taylor Pucci (so terrific in "Thumbsucker") stars as a 19 year old who schemes to "borrow" a car so he can track down his long-lost half brother to inform him that their mother has passed away. The road trip that follows is very funny, a little frightening and full of self-realization and oddball characters ... not the least of which is the owner of the car: a 24 year old Zooey Deschanel. The two create quite the bond during an ongoing cell phone conversation as Pucci drives her car from city to city in his brotherly search. Anyone still not fully aware of Ms. Deschanel's talents are truly deprived. She is ultra-talented and so very soulful and interesting.

On the trip, Pucci tracks down his old junior high school crush played by the always-willing-to-take-a-risk Jena Malone. Writer/Director Martin Hynes admitted the role was written with Ms. Malone in mind and she was quick to commit after reading the script. Her offbeat appeal makes it easy to see how Pucci would become enamored and fall blindly for this babe that anyone's mom would prohibit her son from seeing! Another great character whom Pucci stumbles across is played wonderfully by Maura Tierney. Regrettably this story line is fairly brief, but suffice to say, you have NEVER seen a band like the one Ms. Tierney invites Pucci to join. Speaking of music, the soundtrack is excellent and compliments every scene. Much of the music is that of M Ward, who is actually the guitar player who gives Pucci the shirt off his back in the film.

Supposedly the film will have wide release in August, and I will do whatever I can to ensure word-of-mouth gets this one seen by everyone I know who loves a great story and thought-provoking, funny film. On a side note, the producer of the film, Lucy Barzun, is someone I am definitely pulling for. She also produced an amazing "little" film called "Pieces of April" and has an obvious eye and love for these marvelous visions of up and coming filmmakers. We need more people like Lucy Barzun.

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.

I rarely write reviews unless something really catches my attention, which this film absolutely did. I was hesitant at first to watch it, but I decided to anyway. I almost turned it off in the first few minutes, but I waited just a bit longer and was hooked.

I believe both Lou Taylor Pucci and Zooey Deschanel gave outstanding performances and made this movie entirely believable. They were easy to connect with and hard not to like. Zooey, although you do not see her most of the movie, really adds depth and mystery to the movie. She seems to have that quality about her.

The plot was addicting and perfectly executed. There were many quirky moments, some of them almost stupid, that really livened up the scene when needed. I don't feel I need to get into the plot in detail. All I have left to say is you won't be disappointed.

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.