Fresno

Apparently a lot of reviewers hated this movie and I honestly don't get why. It's an easy to follow movie, nothing too complicated, but still an enjoyable movie to watch. And sometimes it's nice to just relax and watch movies like this one. It's not the most funny comedy ever but it has it's funny moments. Most of the actors are normally more acting in TV-series but they do an okay job in Addicted To Fresno. Maybe I'm a bit biased because they come from series like Orange Is The New Black, Portlandia, and Parks And Recreation, and those are all shows I really love. I just watched this movie because I wanted something lighthearted with some humor and that's what I got so I can't be disappointed.

First off it has to be said that the cast is stacked with good comedy actors who have all had great roles in other things, especially the two female leads. So when they are given this chance to shine with no excuse of male influence or bias it is a shame that the material itself is such a letdown.

There is just nothing to this film, the story is basic and not really provocative or interesting enough to justify its creation. Unlike a film like Garden State, where the generally mundane story is balanced with directing choices that give the film a unique melancholic feel that suits these low-key themes, the director does nothing to highlight the stagnant flow of the plot. There isn't even really that much humour to pad out the barely-existent plot. Instead you just get two sisters talking in circles, while occasionally events happen around them, often with little to no provocation. You could argue that 'that's life', but even so the way it is presented is so unappealing that it has little merit as either entertainment or a think-piece.

Overall this is still a movie, there is dialogue and characters and events occur over a feature length run-time, but if you watched it with the sound or screen off (or both) you wouldn't be missing much. If you want a female-orientated film that captures the trapped feeling of small town living then watch Ghost World, I don't know how all the fine elements that went into this came out so banal, but it looks like they mixed flour and water together and made paste.

I thought the script had continuous spiraling of obstacles the sisters had to face leaving room for clarity and forgiveness on both their parts and hilarity and fun for the audience. I loved every scene and thought every character had great chemistry with one another making everything rocking. Both sisters demonstrated a relatable character with distinct personalities and flaws. The beauty of the film is how they unravel one another by unraveling themselves first. I think the message really stood out to worry first about yourself before you worry too much about anyone else, even those you love, because like Martha, you may feel like what you're giving isn't enough and that the other person is ungrateful for your efforts, when really what you're trying to fulfill is a void inside of you. I laughed a lot during this movie and am purchasing it after watching it on hulu. Great work!

Addicted to Fresno is full of artfully-crafted deadpan situations that probably created quite a few amusing bloopers. The star Natasha Lyonne has great control of her expression. The other actors and actresses complement her talents well, but she really stood out.

Presumably, this was a low budget movie but nevertheless the cinematography was excellent. As a photographer, I often was impressed with how well the lighting was controlled (for example, the poetry scene on the loading dock; scenes in the hotel hallway, never a good lighting situation; the pet cemetery scene). OK, maybe most people wouldn't care about these details, but if the producer had not properly lit these scenes, the movie would not have been as pleasant to watch even if nothing else had changed. Appreciate what you don't notice as much as what you do notice.

Don't look for any deep philosophical plot; just take the movie as the comedy that it was intended to be. Loved it.

Natasha Lyonne and Judy Greer star in "Addicted to Fresno," a 2015 film. It seems to have been done on a low budget, but the movie looks good.

Lyonne is Martha, who is allowing her sex-addicted sister Shannon (Greer), recently thrown out of rehab, to stay with her. She also gets her a job at the motel where she cleans. While having sex with a resident, Shannon accidentally kills him. The women cover the body with a sheet dump him in a laundry cart and take him to a pet cemetery, asking the owners to cremate their Great Dane and the laundry cart. Unfortunately the wife of the owner sees it's a body, and blackmails them for $25,000.

When knocking over the local sex shop only elicits dildos, the women decide to rob a Bar Mitzvah. In the meantime, Martha has had to break up with her girlfriend, and finds a trainer at the gym is attracted to her - but she's too busy trying to take care of Shannon.

Fun caper movie, full of sex talk and foul language, with good acting by both women. I thought the story and the situations were amusing. There is a slight serious undertone, but it fits in well with the film. The outtakes at the end are entertaining.

I don't know if everyone realizes what a huge feat it is to do an independent film. From the credits at the end, many people were involved. Kudos to them.