The Rendezvous

I watched The Rendezvous at the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival. It was definitely my favorite movie of the festival and I believe it won a few awards. The two characters really resonated with me and I could feel old memories resurfacing from awkward dates from long ago. The actors played superbly off each other. The awkward moments between two people were captured very well in the dialog, and the subtle tension that developed was eased in the appropriate moments with comedic relief. I actually laughed for over a minute in one scene. I don't watch many movies twice but I would really love to see this one again when it comes out on DVD or streaming.

I've watched 'The Rendezvous' the first time last October at the premiere of the Zurich Film Festival, and again a few days ago at a private screening. My impression was confirmed: Yes, it's a small film but one with tremendous reverberation! Indeed, who hasn't experienced it: A date full of hope going wrong. In most cases that's the end of it. The two don't see each other again. Everything deleted, including their Facebook friendship.

Director Curt Truninger goes one step further in his film: As much as Jackie (a fantastic Eva Birthistle) tries, no spark ignites between her and her date, Michael (Tim Dutton). Instead, slowly they start to demolish each others carefully constructed, illusionary personas. The botched date morphs into a striptease of the soul (german: Seelenstriptease). This is fascinating stuff, as the actors are excellent and the plot well-crafted. Pay close attention to the end…it's important.

In an interview included in the book 'Adaptation', The Shooting Script, Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufmann said about the original screenplay, upon which "The Rendezvous" is based: "You can watch this very simple movie between two characters and, depending on your mood, see different things in it every time".

After watching 'The Rendezvous' twice by now, I do agree....and by the way: the film is also really funny.

"The Rendezvous" is a most interesting film! Quite unusual while it does not follow the "main stream" entertainment of monumental action movies. With detailed and impressionable directing and acting as well including great camera work. The four wall "drama" is leading the viewer to an intense story of the two individuals. It shows the loneliness and the problems shared by two people (Eva Birthistle and Tim Dutton) in an every day environment. Portraying their daily lives after work, in a more and more meaningless surrounding. A meaningful story, outstanding acting, interesting shots, make this movie a little masterpiece that leaves a great impression. The story made me contemplate about people that I know and their relationship problems that they are dealing with.

It is a movie that I will remember and that is worthwhile to go and see and inspires a continuing discussion.

A well deserved prize received at the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, in South Carolina. "The Rendezvous" deserves worldwide recognition.

My friends in Montreal wanted to see this movie. I was reluctant at first, but very soon I was enthralled by this story about two lonely singles who try to connect. The evening - a dinner at her loft- drags on as she desperately tries to let him know how attracted she is to him. I didn't know the actors but their performance is breathtaking, especially Eva Birthistle. While on the surface, at first, nothing much happens, and they pretend to be somebody they are not, as the evening progresses, they give away much more about themselves than they wanted. The date ends in a total different way than what you are expecting. And you feel personally very touched. A thought creeps in your mind: That could have been me!

This film is simply a brilliantly crafted artifact that fortunately we still, from time to time, have the opportunity of being exposed to. The story is a simple one....universal.....man and woman getting together for the first time.....fear, expectations, first impressions all come to play during a "first date" scenario. The two actors deliver impressive monologues and ultimately blend comedy and drama harmoniously to refined and intelligent small touches ( i.e. the fountain pen that gets left behind allowing the audience to project their own ideas on how the story could continue). Truninger must have worked with a small budget on this film; however, the result confirms that well crafted ideas, great attention to direction and details plus great performances from your cast can and will overcome budgetary restraints every time. I would recommend this film to anyone who still gets pleasure from discovering films off the beaten path; like the banal romantic comedies that Hollywood has accustomed us to.