Estranho Como o Amor

Characters are filled out making No Stranger Thank Love a surprisingly useful movie. When faced with ethical decisions on love and romance poor choices can lead people in real life to fall into a 'hole' which all of us are familiar with. As often casualties of love do need a lifeline to crawl out of their hole. During this process Colin Hanks is Suspended in a black inter-dimensional hole one of the main characters said, without any distractions I have a new sense of clarity. You may think to yourself this is a corny story line but don't dismiss it too quickly. When Colin's character, Coach Clint Coburn is faced with multiple consequences that would impact his world he is forced to admit his love for his wife. What are your thoughts on sensory deprivation leading to a new sense of clarity?

Guys in Spot Valley have a crush on popular school teacher Lucy Sherrington (Alison Brie). She has an affair with married football coach Clint Coburn (Colin Hanks). When she finally says "I love you", a hole opens up in the middle of her living room and Clint falls into the dark abyss. He's left floating somewhere deep inside and she struggles to get him out. Rydell Whyte (Justin Chatwin) is looking for Clint. He's a goon working for Clint's bookie.

It's actually kinda boring to have every man repeatedly hit on her. It's a funny idea that isn't that funny in its execution. That's my general feeling about this movie. The idea of this dark screwball comedy with Alison Brie is fun but it's dead pan flat for the most part. Chatwin tries to be quirky funny but can't get beyond quirky dark. Brie should be more flustered but she's too deer in the headlights. There is an obvious easy way to lie about the hole to his wife but Clint does it poorly. There is the theme of love but it's somewhat muddled. There is nothing overly objectionable but this doesn't engage me.

This is not going to be to everyone's taste, but still, I am a bit taken aback by the low rating it has. It certainly is different, but I found it quietly charming and enchanting.

People all have their own ideas when it comes to love, but Love with a capital L is far more elusive and can slip through our grasp without us even knowing it.

The men in the village chase after their "ideal" love in the form of Alison Brie. She, it turn loves none of them, not even the coach who finally breaks down her resistance and falls into a hole in her living room for his trouble.

Meanwhile a mysterious stranger arrives to further muddy the waters.

The dialogue is quirky and amusing and adds to the enjoyment.

As Lucy Sherrington says "You think about doing something and it's always different than what you thought". I believe that phrase is key to what Director: Nick Wernham is bringing to light in this lite hearted comedy with a message.

The plot revolves around Lucy Sherrington - the high school art teacher - and the numerous men in this quiet idealized American small town, who have convinced themselves that each is the perfect lover for her. Lucy does not share the interest in their enthusiasm and when she finally gives into Clint - the high school coach - it's a disaster for her and him. In doing this the coach descends into a state of abstraction.

Then into Lucy's life walks the stranger Rydell, who is in that small town to do something that is completely contrary to his nature, but his family expects him to do it. Rydell is the only man to enter into Lucy's life that actually has some level of self awareness because he opens his true thoughts to Lucy and explains to her how he feels about his own life.

When the town discovers what has happened to Clint they all gather together in friendship to bring the coach back into reality. Lucy makes a public confession and Rydell's brothers arrive to take him home. Rydell decides he must be true to himself and abandons his rather hateful brothers and goes to find Lucy.

Throughout this film Clints state of abstraction is symbolized by a bottomless hole in Lucy's living room. When the hole is discovered everyone has a different interpretation to it's meaning. At movies end we see Lucy and Rydell standing before another hole but this hole is a natural formation on the earth and at cliff's edge they stand. Rydell has obviously fallen in love with Lucy but we are left not knowing if Lucy feels the same for Rydell. Lucy now faces her own state of abstraction as symbolized by the vast opening beyond the cliff. There is a difference between Clint's mysterious undefinable abstraction and Lucy's highly defined state of abstraction.

This is a fine movie for the thinking viewer!

It's a pity the hole has no closure. This story is a bit quirky, moves to being satirical but in the end is quite simply sweet. Well cast, reasonably delivered and fun to watch. Worth taking a chance on.