In Your Eyes

In Your Eyes (2014)

A terrific concept—and it unveils early on but if you don't know it it's a great surprise—and a well done movie, too. The key is the two main actors, a young man and a young woman in very different circumstances who seem destined for each other.

And they are 3000 miles apart.

Zoe Kazan (granddaughter of the director) is terrific throughout, playing a well- heeled woman with a controlling husband in beautiful New Hampshire. And Michael Stahl-David plays her counterpart with similar introspective intensity, but as an minor ex-con in a trailer in beautiful New Hampshire. What they have in common is something no one else has—and no one else can know about.

It's the ultimate romance movie in that first sense that you know they belong together and circumstances are keeping them apart. But it's also a romance in a deeper way, because the two get to know each other with extreme openness and intimacy. They naturally fall in love. And the world naturally will not make it easy.

In many ways the filming is quite solid in a familiar way, not drawing attention to itself except in scenes where two realities are made to blend (crudely). This is all about story and more story. Some of the side characters are imperfectly developed (even the controlling husband doesn't always resonate quite right). But the two leads are spot on, and their parallel development is our fascination.

This movie goes beyond what most romantic movies strive to do: depict a touching love story. Instead of just doing that this is about the immaterial asset in love we humans think we're capable of: to truly connect with someone on a higher level that no one else can understand. Some view this story as a romantic sci-fi movie, but these viewers ought to pay closer attention to unravel the continuous symbolism that runs throughout. The main concept that is to be found here is an allegory, with the subject consisting of distant soul mates.

The element of distance must've posed a daring job for cinematographers and actors, but they overcame this obstacle brilliantly: camera angles, lighting, stills,...all emphasized the 'facial acting' of the two lead characters portrayed by Zoe Kazan and Michael Stahl-David. On a closing note: Zoe Kazan- I don't know what it is about that innocence- epitomizes the new romance flick leading ladies. Following in the footsteps of Zooey Deschanel and Rachel McAdams these ladies win over a very broad male audience which has a whole lot to do with presenting a counterweight for the -often balancing on vulgar- sexually (and morally) unruly pop culture.

Absolutely loved this film. A fresh idea that I personally have never heard of has finally made its way into the film industry. They only ever come by once in a blue moon. The casting is spot on. Zoe Kazan and Michael Stahl-David were perfect for the roles of Dylan and Rebecca. Ever since I saw Michael in his breakout role of Rob Hawkins in Cloverfield, I knew I had to keep and eye on him. He is definitely going places and this movie proves that.

This is the sort of movie where chemistry plays a major role and they without a doubt pulled it off. Without it, it would have been a big flop. Although it wasn't made on a small budget, it still had the same feel as one, which is nice. It adds a whole other element to it.

I could easily watch this another couple times and still be just as pleased as the first. Definitely worth buying.

Joss Whedon's metaphysical love story In Your Eyes currently premiered exclusively at Tribeca Film Festival.

Originally written in 1992 by acclaimed sci-fi screenwriter Joss Whedon, In Your Eyes departs from his more common futuristic thematic and dazzles with a romantically dreamy tone.

The Tribeca Film Festival summarizes the film aptly as featured on the IMDb summary.

The successfulness of this film is ultimately reliant on two key aspects. Insanely wonderful acting facilitated by engaging but believable screen-written dialogue and not too insipidly sentimental directing.

Joss Whedon is known for his screen writing thoroughness; taking into consideration all character motivations, believability of behavior, and credibility of consequences. No matter what project type he undertakes he seems especially successful within the science fiction realm. Though In Your Eyes does have a mythical aspect to its plot it is a far more realistic and romance driven plot.

Immediately In Your Eyes clearly explains and simply establishes the psychic connection between the lead characters Rebecca and Dylan. From that point on every choice, every characteristic, and every subplot is a thoughtful and deliberate decision by Whedon so the film can develop plausibly. Further the dialogue is effortlessly convincing as the real speech between two strangers getting to know one another through this mystical connection.

A sincere love story progresses in In Your Eyes despite the characters never physically interacting. Whedon's smartly insightful dialogue facilitates the romance in the movie. Truly this is possible solely due to the superb and impressive acting by the perfectly cast Zoe Kazan and Michael Stahl-David. Zoe Kazan's Rebecca is charming and sweetly skittish, evolving as she opens up to Dylan. Dylan, played by Michael Stahl-David, is equally debonair in a rough-and-tumble kind of way and I am very excited to see how his career progresses after this promising performance.

I was completely engrossed by characters as they told their life stories, the weird moments in life explained by the other person and the amazing connection they develop. Though the ending is slightly commonplace, for a romantic film it is not nearly as sappy as the mainstream movies saturating the market.

Please check out our website for more full reviews of recent releases of all the blockbusters and indie films!

I saw this movie at its premiere the Tribeca Film Festival. It had some really good dialogue and some very funny scenes. The movie takes a little bit of time to get its footing, but once it finds it the movie is interesting and funny. It occasionally borders on getting cheesy but the better parts of the film more than make up for it. It is somewhat predictable, like most romantic movies, but that doesn't really detract from the movie at all.

The acting is really good from all of the leads and the chemistry between Zoe Kazan and Michael Stahl-David is great despite not having much on screen interaction. Director Brin Hill did a great job of making a potentially disorienting topic really easy to follow. The dialogue is very witty as is typical in Joss Whedon's work. There is also a lot of genre mixing which is typical in his films.

The movie is successful in pretty much everything it attempts. The movie is very funny, interesting, and at times, fairly intense. Despite being a micro budget movie, it does not feel that way at all.