Take Me Home

Take Me Home is a romantic comedy starring Sam Jaeger, a popular TV and character actor. He plays Tom, an aspiring photographer and part-time unlicensed cab driver who is a bit down on his luck. On the evening that he gets kicked out of his apartment for rent delinquency, outfits his cab to try to get a fare and picks up an attractive young woman, Claire, who has recently caught her husband in an affair and also has just found out that her father has had a heart attack. She breaks down in his cab, and tells Tom to "just drive", but eventually hires him to drive all the way to California to find her father. And the road trip is on.

As romantic comedy premises go, this one is just fine, and predictably, the relationship between the two down and out protagonists grows with their own mutual understanding. The most interesting part of this movie to me is that Sam and Amber Jaeger, the leads, are real-life husband and wife, and this seemed to make a big difference to me. The knowing looks that they give each other and the affection that they display are just full of reality and feeling, and I really sensed something different from all other rom-com movies I have seen. The movie is not without flaws, but it is really interesting to see these two actors create characters from the real feelings that they have about each other as people.

Let the buyer beware--if you are not into rom-com and would rather watch the Terminator, this is not your movie. Otherwise, it is very touching and sweet.

Pleasantly surprised with the nice story about two strangers whose lives cross paths and they learn more about each other through some unexpected circumstances. Woot giving way anything, I can say my wife and I enjoyed the story and characters... Down to earth yet whimsically silly about how people respond to and develop an understanding about life and it's moments. Bravo, lovely little film. We would recommend this for anyone looking for a movie on a night in. It is a out of the way romantic comedy in a sweet way without the comedians but real folks. Never head of it but it came up on Amazon and thought we would give it a go and glad we did.

I enjoyed watching this movie at the Chicago Film Festival with a lively, responsive crowd. It's a character-driven story featuring two unique individuals, against a backdrop of our beautiful, expansive country. As the journey progresses through big cities, desolate deserts and incredible canyons, the characters grow in their own personal journeys, confronting head on the reality of their life's decisions. For Claire, it's a marriage that is falling apart and a strained relationship with a father who just had a heart attack. For Thom, it's going broke pursuing a career he loves, and lying to his family about it out of shame and embarrassment. As the characters drive across the country together, they eventually reach two destinations -- California and the personal realizations that they need to change the patterns of their lives in pursuit of something more meaningful.

Take Me Home (2011)

When a movie makes you want to get on the road and see the country, it's doing something right. In classic storytelling fashion, we begin with some quick and disastrous events by two characters who haven't met. Their lives are in various state of ruin (emotional or actual) and when they meet--well, the sparks definitely do not fly.

But the story begins in earnest. And what is a short drive around New York transforms into the main idea of the movie. And of course the two have to find a way to get along, which involves slowly coming to understand each other mostly by letting their own old habits and presumptions fade away.

The leads are actually a married couple, Sam and Amber Jaeger, and Sam is the director and writer (and producer), so yes, it's a home brew movie. But it's shot with the high end Red digital camera and it feels fully professional. And more important, the acting by these two leads, who dominate the movie completely, is terrific. You feel where both of them are coming from, and when they change it makes sense.

The details of the story sometimes dip into obvious or slightly unbelievable zones. Every now and then the dialog is a hair off kilter. And maybe there could have been a slight shift in pace to keep the flow flowing. It's not a masterpiece, surely, but they know that, too. It doesn't have those kinds of ambitions.

What "Take Me Home" aims for is a light, believable sincerity, a sweetness that we all recognize and sometimes need, and which doesn't get too too sugary. And on that level it's a really enjoyable movie. And it really does make you want to hit the road.

It's about time we got to see some real talent for movie-making. Without a doubt this was a low budget production but who the hell cares.. The quality of the acting and the story itself puts many so called Hollywood blockbusters to shame. Why wasn't this on general release? Ah OK we all know why.. Stick at it guys.. With this kind of ability I can see great things coming to a screen near us soon. Didn't realise the chemistry so apparent on the screen is for a reason until the credits. Hey. It works so don't knock it.!! Brilliant comic timing, great writing, I'm looking forward to the next one. C'mon guys in Hollywood.. Lend these guys some dosh so they can show you how it's done :o)