Dando A Volta Por Cima

Real cool, smart movie. I loved Sheedy's colors, especially the purple car. Alice Drummond is Wise And Wonderful as Stella. I liked Sheedy's reference to how her face had gotten fatter. The roadside dance scene is brilliant. Really liked this one.

The influence of Hal Hartley in Adrienne Shelly's "I'll Take You There" is not overt, but clearly has ties to his work (Shelly has acted in two of Hartley's films). Not only does her film exhibit a very tight narrative, but the hyper-stylized and extreme characters strangely render human emotion in a very real light. Though this film is not ironic on the whole (thank God), the small and subtle ironies that pepper the piece allude to the bitter truths in love and loss. With beautiful cinematography and a soundtrack straight from the seventies, "I'll See You There" is a great indie-film that doesn't stoop to postmodern irony when dealing with the woes of love and the reality of human emotion.

The film begins with Bill's life falling to pieces. Not only has he sold his best friend Ray a beautiful country home, but his wife Rose has left him in order to join Ray in the retreat. All washed up, Bill wallows in his own gloom and doom until his sister Lucy (played by the director Adrienne Shelly) brings him all kinds of surprises: a self-help book and a "date" for her traumatized brother.

The unwilling Bill tries to refuse, but the sudden appearance of Bernice at his door leaves him no choice. No doubt Bernice's initially superficial demeanor and ridiculous hairstyle detract from his ability to "rebound" with her. However, her pseudo-hippie qualities annoy him so much that he lashes at her on their first date. And Bernice is so traumatized by his derogatory remarks that she attaches herself to him, forcing herself upon him. To what end, we are not aware... except for maybe the fact that she is psycho. (And who better to play the psycho than Ally Sheedy?)

Aware that Bill desperately wants to see Rose, Bernice offers her car, but on the condition that he take her somewhere first. On the way, she proceeds to hold Bill prisoner with his own gun (a Pinkerton Detective, no less). An imbroglio of angst, resentment, redemption, passion and violence ensue as Bill and Bernice find themselves on their way to the country home of Ray and Rose... of course, with a few stops along the way.

This movie is wonderful. The writing, directing, acting all are fantastic. Very witty and clever script. Quality performances by actors, Ally Sheedy is strong and dynamic and delightfully quirky. Really original and heart-warmingly unpredicatable. The scenes are alive with fresh energy and really talented production.

"I'll Take You There" tells of a woebegone man who loses his wife to another and finds an unlikely ally in a blind date. Unlike most romantic comedies, this little indie is mostly tongue-in-cheek situational comedy featuring Rogers and Sheedy with little emphasis on romance. A sort of road trip flick with many fun and some poignant moments keeps moving, stays fresh, and is a worthwhile watch for indie lovers.

Bill (Reg Rogers), a real estate salesman in New York City, is unexpectedly jilted by his beautiful, artistic wife. She runs off with a gentleman who purchased a nice house from Bill, in upstate New York. Totally in despair, Bill is doing badly at work and at home. His sister (Adrienne Shelley) decides to jolt her brother out of his funk by arranging for him to meet one of her old college friends, Bernice (Ally Sheedy). Bernice, however, is a bit of an odd duck and Bill insults her on their first date, causing her much pain. Yet, Bernice decides to get even, by kidnapping Bill and taking him on a car trip to visit her relatives. Will Bill be able to break free of Bernice's clutches? Will he want to? This is a very original film, with characters and a script that take the viewer into the realm of the unusual but satisfying world of offbeat movies. Sheedy is quite wonderful as the decidedly different woman and Rogers just fine as the heartbroken husband. The rest of the cast, including Shelley herself, who wrote and directed the film, are more than adequate. Given the probable budget constraints, the movie nevertheless looks great, with nice sets, costumes and amenities. If you have seen Shelley's Waitress and are looking backward to her other films, you will find this one an interesting first effort. Although it is not as successful or as universal as Waitress, no one could ever deem this flick as dull. Therefore, anyone who loves a departure from run of the mill movies will find this one easy to embrace.