Harmony and Me

Funny, funny, funny . . .

Low-fi movie, that has a "homemade" feel to it . . . but it's FUNNY. And it's edited very well as far as pacing goes.

Want more from this filmmaker.

Why do I have to write ten lines to make a review.

That's really annoying.

I said what I wanted to say.

Good film. Worth watching. Oh my God! I have to write even more to submit this review! That's 3 times now. Maybe now this will be enough text or lines to submit my review.

One more line for good measure. Ugh.

On first glance, director Bob Byington's award-winning comedy is just another link in a long mumblecore chain. Upon closer inspection, this hilarious and brutally honest film couldn't be further from its supposed bedfellows.

Shot on HD DV hand-held, "Harmony and Me" awakes in the aftermath of the title character's break-up. The shakiness of the aesthetic, combined with the episodic division of the film, brilliantly mirrors the protagonist's emotional instability and fragmentation.

Throughout the first half of the film, Harmony wallows in his victimization and vies for sympathy from friends (Kevin Corrigan), family (Byington), and nemeses (Pat Healy). Eventually, when the pity of others can no longer quell Harmony's need for emotional validation, he turns to the therapy music, which invariably helps him move forward.

Within this theme, Byington finds a poignant honesty and brutal humor which has garnered the film accolades and awards.

Byington is currently gearing up to helm his next film "Seven Chinese Brothers", which stars Patton Oswalt, Tunde Adebimpe (TV On the Radio), and Pat Healy.

Rarely have I had the pleasure of laughing as much as I did while watching this movie.

"Harmony and Me" may be the funniest film I've ever seen--it captures perfectly that all-too-human self-pitying pitiful state of rejection, lost relationship, heartbreak that we've all descended into at some point in our lives.

The movie offers that rare opportunity to laugh at our own despair. Watching Harmony chew on his misery mirrors the mental replay that you can't seem to escape when a relationship goes wrong. It's a timeless tale. Yet Byington uniquely spotlights the emotional obstacle course of relating. The tone is quirky, and the story rings all the more true for it. The characters feel very real.

Perfect comedic timing. Hilarious script. Excellent acting. Brilliant.

This is a rare independent comedy that is sarcastic but not mean spirited, innocent but not naive, heartfelt but not dramatic...

This is actually a "feel good movie." And I can vouch for that because I've seen it many times and it always makes me happy. I like the main character, I root for him and I love what the story does with him.

By the time the movie ends (briskly, after just 75 minutes) I feel 100% satisfied and want more. It's too bad it's not the pilot episode for a series because I think I'd enjoy spending more time with Harmony, his friends and family.

As a side note, my wife and I often find ourselves singing, "The finishing touches..." That song definitely gets stuck in one's head.

Takes the "Better Off Dead" breakup aspect and puts a magnifying glass on it, well done. Kristen Tucker shines in every scene she's in.