...Around

Embrace the Fall Here is a film about passion, perseverance, optimism, determination and the ability to overcome the weight of the past. "...Around" is the debut feature from director, David Spaltro -- crafting a truly authentic film that smacks of true life experiences.

We track four years in the life of Doyle Simms (Evans), a young man who escapes a confined, unhealthy existence at home and heads for New York City to attend film school. Those years are filled with hardship and colorful characters.

Doyle makes his way in the world living from credit card to credit card, surviving any way he can, sleeping anywhere he can, meeting anyone he can. His minimal wardrobe includes a pair of Converse sneakers held together with electrical tape.

He meets a streetwise homeless man named Saul, who consistently refers to him as "movie star" while dishing out words of advice.

He also meets a beautiful young woman named Allyson, who seems, for a moment in his life, to be an ultimate destination that he can look forward to.

"...Around" navigates the 4 years of film school and its many ups and downs -- then, in typical indie-flick fashion, gives us a glimpse of an unknown future upon which we can speculate indefinitely.

I was struck by how confident the film was, both in the writing and in the visuals. By most standards today, this film had a shoestring budget. However, it seems way above its pay-grade. There are some gorgeous shots of New York City. Clearly, there is a great affinity for the big apple in this movie.

The performances are stellar. Evans has probably been told a million times that he reminds of Ryan Gosling. Not only is it true in the physical sense -- he has the reserved intensity and the weight of emotion in his facial mannerisms that will demand the comparison. He gives an effort here that works tremendously well for large chunks of the film, although, on occasion, he tries a little too hard to emote.

How is Molly Ryman not a star already? She is gorgeous in ways reminiscent of Monica Potter and Kristen Bell, and she manages to steal most of the scenes in this film with such vivid expressiveness and vital energy. Rarely have I seen such a young actor or actress whose every thought is manifested so clearly. And that is the greatest strength any actor can possess -- the ability to convey thoughts without words. If Ryman gets the right break in the right film... watch out! There are a few small flaws that bugged me during the running time. I was most energetic during the first half of "...Around". That feels like a mistake. Rather than building my interest, I felt it waning. There is a section after Doyle's mother falls ill that really lags -- therefore killing any momentum or inertia that the screenplay had produced.

I also thought that the relationship between Doyle and Allyson develops too slowly in the real timeline of these character's lives. I think we are in year three before they "get together"... and yet it is clear that the attraction is far quicker than that.

Nevertheless, this is a special little film that demands and deserves attention. If you can find it... Watch it. David Spaltro had directed a smart and acutely observational movie that doesn't have an ounce of dishonesty. It is a film that will gnaw at you long after the fade to black. After all, each one of us have difficulties, past and present... It's what we do with the opportunities we have that matters most.

Written by TC Candler

I was lucky enough to catch this little independent gem at the Big Apple Film Festival in NYC in November and I can really say it was one of the better independently made films I had to pleasure to see both at that festival and all year. The story is about a young man who, coming to New York to attend school, finds himself in financial duress eerily poignant during our own financial times, and is forced to make a decision on where he's going to live while attending school that sets the story in motion. The heart of the film though is the relationships of all the characters, how they affect each other and the journey they go on; specifically our hero Doyle Simms (played with gravitas by Rob Evans) who's forced with contemplating just who he really is and wants to be, under extreme circumstances. Evans' leading performance is counterbalanced beautifully by the enchanting and sweet Molly Ryman, playing a pseudo-love interest and fellow struggling city dweller Allyson. Ryman's girl-next door looks and caring demeanor help anchor some of the hidden pain and stress her character is under, as well as a desperate desire to reach Doyle. Also a standout is Marcel Torres, playing a childhood friend of hero, who's half a welcome comic relief/shot of energy in the film, but also a stoic voice of reason and understanding for the main character and his roots. He handles what could have been a throwaway role with real chops and charisma, elevating and almost stealing every scene he's in, including a quite volatile and informing argument late in the film. The smart, often quite funny and painful film is terrifically written and under control by the up and coming David Spaltro, who apparently based the film on his own personal experiences going to school in New York a few years back and self-financed. Watching Spaltro, clad in black coat and taped up converse sneakers, during a post-screening Q&A at the festival handle the microphone with both a humble and witty humor and vibrant, powerfully charming passion, it was easy to see where the seeds of the character of Doyle came from. I'm eager to see what he's got to follow this up with. I almost did a double-take when I found out this was only his first feature. An extremely talented guy. I'll be on the lookout for this film upon it's release, which according to several sites will be some time this Spring/Summer. It's definitely one I'd recommend everyone to check out. You'll take far more away from it than you'd expect, probably more so even on a second screening.