Take Me Home

I don't write many reviews, but this movie deserved one. The characters feel very real. I find myself wanting to multitask during most movies, but I ended up glued to the screen watching the subtle changes of expression on the actors' faces that really brought it across.

I thought at first "oh, great, a grumpy woman gets cheated on, grabs a taxi, and they fall madly in love in two days, make out, and shack up by the end of it". Gag. But this movie actually showed a real, believable romance developing, with plenty of the naturally funny bits from the silly quirks most everyone turns out to have when you get to know them.

I usually prefer action movies with a bit of chemistry tossed in, but this was nice. It is a good cuddle on the couch, lazy rainy day movie that, while you won't get great quotes, will leave you with a good feeling at the end.

Take Me Home (2011)

When a movie makes you want to get on the road and see the country, it's doing something right. In classic storytelling fashion, we begin with some quick and disastrous events by two characters who haven't met. Their lives are in various state of ruin (emotional or actual) and when they meet--well, the sparks definitely do not fly.

But the story begins in earnest. And what is a short drive around New York transforms into the main idea of the movie. And of course the two have to find a way to get along, which involves slowly coming to understand each other mostly by letting their own old habits and presumptions fade away.

The leads are actually a married couple, Sam and Amber Jaeger, and Sam is the director and writer (and producer), so yes, it's a home brew movie. But it's shot with the high end Red digital camera and it feels fully professional. And more important, the acting by these two leads, who dominate the movie completely, is terrific. You feel where both of them are coming from, and when they change it makes sense.

The details of the story sometimes dip into obvious or slightly unbelievable zones. Every now and then the dialog is a hair off kilter. And maybe there could have been a slight shift in pace to keep the flow flowing. It's not a masterpiece, surely, but they know that, too. It doesn't have those kinds of ambitions.

What "Take Me Home" aims for is a light, believable sincerity, a sweetness that we all recognize and sometimes need, and which doesn't get too too sugary. And on that level it's a really enjoyable movie. And it really does make you want to hit the road.

I enjoyed watching this movie at the Chicago Film Festival with a lively, responsive crowd. It's a character-driven story featuring two unique individuals, against a backdrop of our beautiful, expansive country. As the journey progresses through big cities, desolate deserts and incredible canyons, the characters grow in their own personal journeys, confronting head on the reality of their life's decisions. For Claire, it's a marriage that is falling apart and a strained relationship with a father who just had a heart attack. For Thom, it's going broke pursuing a career he loves, and lying to his family about it out of shame and embarrassment. As the characters drive across the country together, they eventually reach two destinations -- California and the personal realizations that they need to change the patterns of their lives in pursuit of something more meaningful.

It's about time we got to see some real talent for movie-making. Without a doubt this was a low budget production but who the hell cares.. The quality of the acting and the story itself puts many so called Hollywood blockbusters to shame. Why wasn't this on general release? Ah OK we all know why.. Stick at it guys.. With this kind of ability I can see great things coming to a screen near us soon. Didn't realise the chemistry so apparent on the screen is for a reason until the credits. Hey. It works so don't knock it.!! Brilliant comic timing, great writing, I'm looking forward to the next one. C'mon guys in Hollywood.. Lend these guys some dosh so they can show you how it's done :o)

Take Me Home is a romantic comedy starring Sam Jaeger, a popular TV and character actor. He plays Tom, an aspiring photographer and part-time unlicensed cab driver who is a bit down on his luck. On the evening that he gets kicked out of his apartment for rent delinquency, outfits his cab to try to get a fare and picks up an attractive young woman, Claire, who has recently caught her husband in an affair and also has just found out that her father has had a heart attack. She breaks down in his cab, and tells Tom to "just drive", but eventually hires him to drive all the way to California to find her father. And the road trip is on.

As romantic comedy premises go, this one is just fine, and predictably, the relationship between the two down and out protagonists grows with their own mutual understanding. The most interesting part of this movie to me is that Sam and Amber Jaeger, the leads, are real-life husband and wife, and this seemed to make a big difference to me. The knowing looks that they give each other and the affection that they display are just full of reality and feeling, and I really sensed something different from all other rom-com movies I have seen. The movie is not without flaws, but it is really interesting to see these two actors create characters from the real feelings that they have about each other as people.

Let the buyer beware--if you are not into rom-com and would rather watch the Terminator, this is not your movie. Otherwise, it is very touching and sweet.