Lust for Love

Astor (Fran Kranz) has a crush on Mila (Beau Garrett) since the age of four. After one drunken night, she starts going out with him. His clingy obsessive romantic ways irk her. After breaking up, he seeks the help of her former friend Cali (Dichen Lachman).

This indie has some intriguing actors, several of them gorgeous women. There are probably a few too many beautiful women. Fran Kranz is a good nerdy lead. Dichen Lachman doesn't really project sexual chemistry with him. The addition of Caitlin Stasey muddles the romantic chemistry unnecessarily. Beau Garrett has a great climatic scene and makes a compelling point. In the end, this indie has a surprisingly good cast and the muddled rom-com does have a point of view. The dialog is a little clunky romanticism at times. It's a close call which gets a pass due to its appealing actors.

Watching this fine cast try to work in this silly movie made me embarrassed for everyone except those who had parts too brief to do them much damage, and, of course, Enver Gjokaj who acquitted himself well by playing Jake the Butthead straight and thereby getting the most genuine laughs.

Most of the "jokes" just weren't funny and didn't make any sense, which is interesting since that is what is said about the main character at one point. A little autobiography then from writer-director Anton King? I like Fran Kranz and Dichen Lachman but their roles and dialog were awful. Kranz's character does variations on the same joke over and over. Lachman's character, the epitome cool combined with cluelessness, is not that interesting. There might be something universal about relationships buried here but it was obscured and trivialized here.

"Disappointed" is the word that springs to mind after finishing this film for the first time. After watching the trailer I was sure this would be a hit - what could go wrong with throwing together a load of Dollhouse alum in front of the camera? Apparently, almost everything. Fran Kranz, as always, plays his role brilliantly considering what he had to work with and is, in my opinion, the film's only saving grace. The acting in general is largely wooden, the directing is flat and uninteresting, the plot is cliché and predictable, but most of all - the script is horrendous. The writer seems to opt for a snappy Whedon-esque form of dialogue that falls so flat for the most part, it can be painful to watch.

I can only express my sincerest condolences to those who backed this project on Kickstarter, and were looking forward to this film as much as I was.

While we wait for Joss Whedon's own scifi/romance movie "In Your Eyes," those of us who have become enamored of the many talented actors he has worked with and whose careers he has cultivated over the years have something to watch. "Lust For Love" is a Kickstarter-funded, Web-based (so far) project that reunites several of the cast members of Whedon's short-lived but brilliant TV series "Dollhouse" -- Fran Kranz, Dichen Lachman, Enver Gjokaj, Miracle Laurie, Maurissa Tancharoen, and Felicia Day. They obviously became close during their "Dollhouse" experience, and that closeness just as obviously carries over into this delightful rom-com.

I'll be honest and state that I'm probably too old to appreciate this movie. It seems aimed at an audience 20-somethings, and as such I would say that it succeeds admirably. Kranz is tremendous as the nebbishy Astor, hoping beyond hope to get back together with the narcissistic girl of his dreams Mila (played by non-Whedon-alum Beau Garrett). Towards this end he secures the services of Mila's ex-best friend Cali (played superbly by Dichen Lachman, who also co-produced this film). Much embarrassment and dating horror ensue, almost all of it portrayed with heart, and a fairly light heart at that. This is not one of those cynical movies about dating and romance.

It was great to see many of the "Dollhouse" actors together again, and those who loved them will probably be the first audience for this film. But I thought that the film (written and directed by first-timer Anton King) has merits of its own, and I hope it reaches a wider audience. I suspect that it could stand on its own among the classics of young-people romance films, up there with "Say Anything."

I have to be careful what I say here because I know Anton King and Dichen Lachman too well. Dichen is our daughter and we have watched this production develop over the last few years. When one is an observer - and offers advice and criticism - whether it be football, baseball or a movie - it is just too easy. We sit back, watch the show and every small blemish and fumble is noticed. However I give the whole crew 10 out of 10 for this production.

Tonight my wife and I had the opportunity to sit back and watch the movie by ourselves. Normally I prefer slow plodding movies like "Lincoln" and "The Thin Red Line". I do not normally watch love comedies. However I did enjoy this movie and not just because our daughter was in it. Fran Kranz and Beau Garrett did an outstanding job. Caitlin Stasey and Enver Gjokaj are also fantastic.

I enjoyed this movie and it is well worth seeing. The cast and crew deserve a medal. In particular Anton King and Dichen Lachman for pulling it off. No one who has not been involved in making a movie will have any idea just how difficult it is. There are many people who made this production possible and they came up with money because they believed in the project. Anton and Dichen are both Aussies they went to Hollywood and made their movie. Good job ! Lastly I have to say - viva Alessandro Ongaro of Luna Pictures Entertainment. You also did a great service to this picture.