Life Partners

This theme is certainly nothing new, it's one of the most overdone, well, ever. But the film still manages to entertain, it's certainly easy going enough and pretty easy to watch. The chemistry between the actors works, and both of the leads make their characters fascinating enough. The film has some screenplay issues, some scenes here and there that just don't work well enough and that are cringe-worthy, so much so that I can't call this a great film no matter how easy it is to see. Some plot lines are also resolved a little too neatly and conveniently (Gillian Jacobs' character in the end). Still, despite several flaws, it manages to work.

Paige and Sasha are not-quite-thirty best friends, sleep in the same bed comparing boob bumps BFFs - and things are about to get disrupted in Life Partners.

Life Partners is an easy enough film to watch and pretty straightforward – but it is not: for older people or most of the male audience.

Paige and Sasha, Gillian Jacobs and Leighton Meester respectively, are pretty basic as personality types – they like brunch and America's Next Top Model. Paige is a lawyer who is practically allergic to admitting she is wrong. Sasha is an underachieving lesbian. The friendship they have is sickening and just short of Mama-bird feeding tactics. When Paige goes on a date and seemingly meets a potential life partner, the friend dynamic shift causes major upheaval to Sasha and the longevity of their love.

That description is pretty sarcastic, I will admit, but there is not much to Life Partners that warrants describing. The characters are simple, the plot is simple and the conflict and ultimate resolution are simple as well. Simple does not have to mean 'bad' though – and Life Partners is a rather fun film that definitely falls in the Chick Flick category. Not surprisingly, it is directed by a female (Susanna Fogel) and there is a nice melody of female comedians and actresses in this female driven film.

Millennials will agree with the co-dependent friend dynamic in Life Partners, but in being so niched out to late twenty-something females, it loses out by not reaching to a broader audience.

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If it weren't for the biphobia in the film (the one bi/sexually fluid character is portrayed as unstable and "not gay enough" to be with), I probably would've given it a six or seven. This is far too common in media, and the stereotype is damaging.

As it was the film did portray well some of the issues of growing up and how it affects one's friendships.

I did relate to some of the issues the women went through.

It doesn't really reach very deeply though, and the ending is rather lackluster.

There was some good humor in the film, but the writing really needed polishing.

It was nice to see a mainstream film portray a non-straight main character.

Gabourey Sidibe was sorely underused as a minor supporting character.

Life Partners (2014) was directed by Susanna Fogel. Sasha--Leighton Meester--is best friends with Paige--Gillian Jacobs. Sasha is a lesbian, and Paige is straight. Neither of them has a problem with this--there's no romantic interest, but lots of love.

Enter Tim--Adam Brody--who falls in love with Paige. (There's a movie in-joke here, because in real life, Brody is married to Meester.). Tim and Paige are engaged, and living together. The movie takes a strange turn at this point, when Paige backs into a neighbor's car. She refuses to take responsibility, which bothers Tim. This theme apparently was required to fill out a 95-minute movie. The whole business was trivial.

The real theme, in my opinion, was the inevitable break between Sasha and Paige. The theme of female friendship being broken when men become involved is old--think of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. It may be old, but it still resonates. I think that's what this movie really was about. It's certainly a theme worth exploring.

We saw this film at the Dryden Theatre as part of the well-chosen offerings of ImageOut, the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It will work well on DVD.

3/23/18. Sasha (gay) and Paige (straight) are best buds and roommates. Paige meets Tim and they get serious. Sasha feels left out. Will they be able to stay best buds? This basic premise works well and the movie is enjoyable to watch.