À Espera da Felicidade

This film, for the first time I believe, explores the effects of a trauma which intrudes itself upon the apparently otherwise smooth and fulfilling relationships of the lead characters ), and the ripple effects of that trauma on their relationships with family and friends.

The trauma could be in many forms, not necessarily the one depicted here. Our lives, seemingly secure as they flow along, can be brutally interrupted by many events -- devastating and crippling accidents, unexpected and life-threatening illness, etc etc etc. Not only is devastation wreaked upon the subject, but tangentially upon all his/her relationships. This film makes us clearly aware of this fact.

Now, the healing and rehabilitation and recovery must hopefully and painfully take place. How far can one come back? How can one become better, stronger, than prior to the trauma? This film gently, patiently, helps us see that one need not remain a victim forever! One can overcome! Not easily, not without scars, but with dignity and self-pride.

A bonus is the music score. It is beautiful and supportive, yet never intrusive. It is in exquisite unity with the film and a joy to experience.

I enjoyed this movie so much. There were great plot twists, and the way the characters lives were intertwining through out the film was entertaining to say the least. I thought the art direction was beautifully executed. I walked out of the theater a little exhausted....but in a good way...I felt like I had been taken on a short emotional ride. I like a movie that can shake all different emotions out of me, and this movie did include some comic relief. I especially liked the scene with Eliott Gould and Robin Terney at dinner, the lighting was beautiful, and the dialog was great...Thank you for this special treat...

I loved this movie. With a fine hand and an elegant restraint, Mia Goldman's inaugural feature is a beautifully crafted work. With a concise and well articulated story line, Ms. Goldman, who wrote and directed, has made an engaging movie that moved me in many unexpected ways. The story of a young couple, deeply in love, confronting an enormous challenge startled me. Disturbed me. Robin Tunney and Joel Edgerton play the romantic leads with elegance and passion. Their love affair drives the story and they do it well. TElliot Gould and Cybil Shepard, in unusually textured roles, perform beautifully. This smart, sophisticated Indie film is subtly driven. We're sucked into the emotional vortex almost from the beginning. Once there, it's an intense ride. It's not everybody's cup of tea. There are disturbing elements that I will not reveal. But if you hang in you will be deeply and profoundly rewarded. This is one of those sleeper films. A wonderfully rewarding debut.

This film's audio/visual quality gives it the cheapy feel of a Lifetime movie, and I guess it's fair to say that the movie's target audience is women, but the man's side is definitely explored, and Edgerton and Tunney give compelling enough performances to hold any adult viewer's attention for an hour and a half...I say adult viewers, because this film is pretty dark. The subject matter is not one that I would normally seek out, but I was captivated anyway. By the way, Tunney is definitely a "girlfriend experience" actress...that's twice now I've fallen in love with her. And on a final note, I was surprised at how forced and awkward Shepherd's performance seemed...I had fond memories of her as an actress before this.

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Mia Goldman both wrote and directed this fine little film that deals with the butterfly effect of an event affecting a whole family. The subtlety of the film is enhanced by unforced, subtle performances by a solid cast and further enhanced by a quality of filming (cinematographer Dennis Maloney) that creates disturbing images without obsessing over them.

Photographer Izzy (Robin Tunney) is deeply in love with Peter (Joel Edgerton) whose lives are brutally assaulted when Izzy is raped. Unable to cope with the concept and in the midst of a healing phase, Izzy and Peter breakup, consoled by Izzy's mother Arlene (Cybil Shepherd) and father John (Elliott Gould). Once the incident that is the driver of this story is revealed and discussed, the ramifications are bitter. How Izzy and Peter survive the ordeal is beautifully and subtly written and acted. Cameo roles by Scott Wilson and Shirley Knight add depth to the story. This film has some very disturbing moments, but the subject of rape has always and will always be a disturbing topic. How writer/director Goldman handles this is one of the finest moments on film.

It is a pleasure to see Robin Tunney, best known now for her ongoing role on televisions 'The Mentalist', tackle a role so demanding and make us stay with her character all the way. Joel Edgerton is also exception in a tough role. In all, this is one of those unnoticed films that deserves a larger audience.

Grady Harp