Body/Antibody

I had the pleasure of seeing this picture at one the New York screenings. I was immediately interested in this film when I saw the movie trailer. The trailer promised a film that was intriguing, smart and provocative. Body/Antibody actually exceeded my expectations and delivers extraordinary twists on an age-old story. The compelling plot and the lead actors take you on a journey that brings you to a place where you are stuck in the world of a man's bizarre psychosis. Yet you find yourself empathetic and drawn to his plight. The beautiful cinematography reinforces this repulsively clean and pristine alternative universe. I applaud the filmmakers for preserving the integrity and spirit of independent cinema. Well done!

This film is actually lots of fun. It hooks you and has you laughing out loud at the beginning with its offbeat romantic comedy. Then you are on the edge of your seat as the romance goes off the rails--with unpredictable twists--in the second half.

Sure, it has a few flaws in production values, but for a low budget indie film with virtually unknown actors, it is really quite a coup. The cinematography is quite good, as is the directing. The acting is consistently strong and engaging. You can really "buy in" to the characters. If you see it with an audience at one of the festivals, you can feel them getting pulled in.

In short--fun, creepy, and oddly engaging. And very entertaining.

I am a movie lover. So, it was with great anticipation that I went to see Body/Antibody at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival. Boy, am I glad I did! My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. From the opening shot to the closing credits. The whiteness and starkness of Kip's environment and how it becomes "invaded", enabled us to feel his emotions. The leads did an excellent job in their roles. Robert Gomes as Kip, reminded me of George Clooney and Leslie Kendall as Celine reminded me of the "old time" Hollywood glamor girls. All the details in this film were defined by the writing and direction. I don't know what it takes to make a movie. I can only imagine the hard work, time, money and emotion spent on making all the pieces come together, in the hopes of the audience enjoying the outcome. Let me say, it was obvious by their reaction, the audience enjoyed the outcome a great deal. I would recommend this film to people who appreciate character development and a good mystery with just the right amount of dark humor thrown in.

Usually when I hear the term "indie film", I roll my eyes and think, "Oh great. I'm going to be subjected to absurdly quirky characters engaged in improbable activities in jumpy black and white", and if I even watch at all, I find myself watching my watch more than the screen. So I was very pleasantly surprised to find that "Body/Antibody" was NOTHING like that, and, in fact was so engaging and well-done that the only time I consulted my watch, I was actually disappointed because I realized that the movie was almost over.

Perhaps one of the most engaging and unconventional aspects of this film is its characters. Kip, portrayed to marvelously comical effect by handsome Robert Gomes, could have easily sunk into "stock" characterization of a man afflicted with OCD, but instead is infused with a touching combination of ridiculousness and pathos. The struggle to accept another body into his sheltered life plays across his face beautifully.

That other body, Celine, played by deceptively delicate Leslie Kendall, is a wonderful breath of fresh air (excuse the cliché) -- not just in Kip's stale life but in the movie theater as well. She hearkens back to a certain sort of "old time" elegance and glamour that is so lacking in movies these days. Her performance is nuanced and layered, and I found myself constantly wondering, "What ELSE is there about Celine? There MUST be more." And oh, there was!

This is typical of the movie as a whole as well. Just when you think, "Oh, I know what's going to happen next!", you find you really don't. The direction manages to not reveal anything that shouldn't be revealed, but teases us juuust enough that we can't help but think, "Did he do that for a certain reason? Is that going to be important later on?" The direction is intelligent and cautious, never giving anything away and barely hinting at what's to happen next.

When the movie was over, I turned to my boyfriend and said, "You know what? I would have actually PAID to see this." If you know me at all, you know that's sayin' something. ;-)

I am a sucker for "indie" films, but recently I've noticed an influx of low-budget crap. As better camcorders get cheaper, everyone with a couple of grand in their pocket is suddenly calling himself a filmmaker. This spate of amateurish horse-pucky had left me disillusioned. Then along came Body/Antibody. A truly indie film, with the kind of quirky, un-Hollywood story that typified everything I had previously grown to love about self produced films. Granted, this is not for everyone. If you have a "World's Greatest Grandma" bumper sticker, you may want to skip this one. But if you, like me, can enjoy a roller coaster ride of a story that goes from goofy romance to creepy thriller with more twists than a pretzel, don't miss this one.

I should also mention that the performances of the three main characters were absolutely believable and fun. Their skill added a plausibility to the story that was essential.

If you are lucky enough to have this film screen in your town, go see it, you won't be disappointed. This is a truly unique story. An independent film worthy of that title.