The Go-Getter

I attended the world premiere of "The Go-Getter" at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. I'm not quite sure why, but this year's lineup seems to be heavy on heavy. I like a dark, moody melodrama as much as anybody, but whatever happened to the good old-fashioned road movie? I found the answer with "The Go-Getter." This film is all that and more. One part sweet love story, one part romantic comedy, and one part coming-of-age tale, "The Go-Getter" takes it all on the road and drives home a winning combination that will leave you smiling.

Lou Taylor Pucci (Mercer) is a good kid, but one day he decides to chuck his bike and steal a car. I don't like to post spoilers, so I won't divulge more details other than to say that the trip on which he embarks will take him on a journey that would make "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" blush.

Like any good road movie, he encounters one motley crew after another, a cast of characters all of whom get him just one step closer to the goal he seeks. But like a treasure hunt whose map takes him to places enticing enough to have him abandon his quest, he needs to keep his wandering eye on the prize. And oh, the temptresses who cause that eye to wander.

Jena Malone is Joely, a sultry vixen (quite the change for Ms. Malone) who is determined to pop Mercer's cherry. What a breath of fresh air to see this versatile young actress take on such an empowering role. Women's Lib ain't over yet. Zooey Deschanel is Kate. It's her car he stole. And she is determined to get it back -- or is she? The "indie darling" gets her chance to shine here, and the tension that builds towards a possible reunion of car and owner holds this story together like a rope ties down a trunk when the lock is broken. We're never quite sure if it'll hold.

And Lou Taylor Pucci has never been better in his role as the determined yet naive youth whose trusting nature and sense of wonder left me wanting to roll back the years to a time when everything was fresh and new. Pucci's sense of comedic timing and natural delivery is second to none, and while some of his dialog was indeed improvised, I was shocked to learn that the scenes which felt the most unscripted were, in fact, from the pen of writer/director Martin Hynes.

In the Q&A after the screening here, I was fascinated to hear that a deliberate attempt was made to cast against type. As each of the three leads has a rabid following, Hynes' script was meant to give each actor's fan base something they had never seen before: Malone as Woman, Deschanel as glamour girl, and Pucci as, well, he got his hair cut, anyway. Hope and Crosby must be smiling at this winning team.

M. Ward wrote the score, with original songs that left me wanting more. Licensing source material is pricey for an indie, but who needs hit singles when you have someone as talented as this brilliant composer? What a coup to bring him into this project. Byron Shah shot two films here at Sundance, "An American Crime" (which I saw as well) and "The Go-Getter." That alone says a lot about his eye for capturing this kind of character-driven story so well. Between Shah's photography, David Birdsell's editing, and Hynes' talent for allowing his actors to tell the story, "The Go-Getter" never wanders into pretentious indie territory. It stays accessible, which is why audiences will embrace this film wholeheartedly.

"The Go-Getter" gets it right. It's warm and funny and sweet, and at this festival of doom and gloom, what a joy it was to travel down this road.

Apologies everyone, but I am totally in love with Zooey Deschanel. She coos on the phone, she dances in black and white, she even sings on the soundtrack in that dreamy, sleepy voice of hers ("When I Reach the Border"). And she does it all with casual grace, not nearly trying half as hard as most other actresses her age. I cannot wait to see her as Janis Joplin in "The Gospel According to Janis". Director Martin Hynes teams her up with a slightly quirky, yet very charming male lead (Lou Taylor Pucci). They take the laughter and the tears as the off-beat script sends them on a somewhat unusual road trip in pursuit of his past and her future, taking viewers right back to that magical nowhere land between adolescence and adulthood. They even get to play the identity game ("20 questions") twice, two thirds into the story and, again, in the closing scene. Essentially, "The Go-Getter" gives you romance minus the usual cheese. Think "Rushmore" meets "Elizabethtown", with a soulful indie soundtrack. Notable off-screen guest appearance by Brian McNamara as the voice of the book on tape.

On first glance the Go-Getter seems like another cliché coming of age road film but it does a great job of taking the familiar plot but focusing the film in an unique way. Lou Taylor Pucci plays Mercer a 19 year old who steals a car in order to inform his half brother he has not seen in many years that their mother has died. Mercer is all alone with no family but starts to strike up a unique friendship with Kate the women whose car he stole played by Zooey Deschanel who gives a wonderful performance and is one of the most talented and beautiful young actresses working today. The road trip is just a backdrop for developing the relationship between Kate and Mercer. Martin Hynes does a good job developing this relationship while at the same time juggling Mercer's journey to find his brother as well as his journey of self discovery. Hynes also shows some of his skill behind the camera by setting up some beautiful shots. There is a dream sequence where Mercer and Kate are running across a beach with cowboy hats shooting at each other with old western style cap guns in slow motion with wash out colors and a glaring sun. There is even a great Godard reference with a recreation of that fantastic dancing scene in Band of Outsiders in addition to jump cuts used when Mercer and Kate first meet under duress. The conversations between Mercer and Kate are well written and shot and make up the core of this film. These conversations happen over the phone and as the film progresses and the better they get to know each other these scenes are shot with the actors talking directly to each other but with their voices dubbed with how they sound coming out of the phone. There is an impressive soundtrack with many great indie rock songs to set the mood such as tons of songs from M. Ward (who has a small cameo), Black Keys, Animal Collective and even an Elliot Smith song. This film may look like the same in a long line of "quirky" indie films but the cinematography, unique structure and acting really give this film a polish some of its contemporaries may lack.

Greetings again from the darkness. Saw this one at the AFI Film Fest and fully expect it to be on my top ten list at year end. This is everything I love about going to the movies ... great script, stunning photography and realistic performances all wrapped up in a straight-from-the-soul package delivered by a passionate writer-director who refused to compromise on his vision.

Lou Taylor Pucci (so terrific in "Thumbsucker") stars as a 19 year old who schemes to "borrow" a car so he can track down his long-lost half brother to inform him that their mother has passed away. The road trip that follows is very funny, a little frightening and full of self-realization and oddball characters ... not the least of which is the owner of the car: a 24 year old Zooey Deschanel. The two create quite the bond during an ongoing cell phone conversation as Pucci drives her car from city to city in his brotherly search. Anyone still not fully aware of Ms. Deschanel's talents are truly deprived. She is ultra-talented and so very soulful and interesting.

On the trip, Pucci tracks down his old junior high school crush played by the always-willing-to-take-a-risk Jena Malone. Writer/Director Martin Hynes admitted the role was written with Ms. Malone in mind and she was quick to commit after reading the script. Her offbeat appeal makes it easy to see how Pucci would become enamored and fall blindly for this babe that anyone's mom would prohibit her son from seeing! Another great character whom Pucci stumbles across is played wonderfully by Maura Tierney. Regrettably this story line is fairly brief, but suffice to say, you have NEVER seen a band like the one Ms. Tierney invites Pucci to join. Speaking of music, the soundtrack is excellent and compliments every scene. Much of the music is that of M Ward, who is actually the guitar player who gives Pucci the shirt off his back in the film.

Supposedly the film will have wide release in August, and I will do whatever I can to ensure word-of-mouth gets this one seen by everyone I know who loves a great story and thought-provoking, funny film. On a side note, the producer of the film, Lucy Barzun, is someone I am definitely pulling for. She also produced an amazing "little" film called "Pieces of April" and has an obvious eye and love for these marvelous visions of up and coming filmmakers. We need more people like Lucy Barzun.

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Teenager Mercer steals a car and takes off across the wester United States to ease some of his recent personal grief. While driving, he makes an unusual connection with the girl he stole the car from, talking with her on the phone as he travels.

Written and directed by Martin Hynes and starring Lou Talor Pucci (Thumbsucker), Zooey Deschanel(Elf), and Jena Malone (Saved!), the film is actually very good. After first viewing it, I wasn't sure what to think about it, I didn't really get much out of it. But now, a few days after seeing it, it's actually stuck with me. There are some great scenes throughout the film. It does drag at some moments, but when the film was over, I looked back and realized without those dragging scenes, it wouldn't have possible to tell some of the next scenes.

The acting was great, with this and Thumbsucker, I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Pucci's work. I particularly love the scenes with him on the phone with Zooey, the owner of the car. The two are so perfect together, even though they have never met in person. But the director does a wonderful during those phone scenes, making it more than just two people talking on a phone.

The soundtrack is great. Songs from M. Ward, Elliott Smith, The Black Keys, and The Replacements, they all fit in perfectly with the film.

The director Martin Hynes was at the festival and he was extremely nice and helpful. I talked to him a lot of over the weekend (I feel kind of bad, I talked to him so much he was probably sick of seeing me). But he one of the nicest guys I've met at the festival over the years. I wish him all the best and am looking forward to seeing his next projects.

He had some great stories to tell about the making of the film. One actor in particular managed to get himself cast as three different characters in the film.

Search out this film, see it, then spread the word.