Nate and Margaret

I'm not sure what the good folks at Netflix were thinking when categorizing this film, but it's certainly not a comedy. Nate & Margaret is a character study of the eponymous duo, and it is not funny.

Positive: The film shines in its realistic depictions of mundane social interactions. The dialogue seems unsatisfying at first, but it's actually spot-on in depicting casual exchanges (both short and overly drawn-out) as opposed to the tighter, snappier dialogue audiences are more accustomed to. Alos, Nate & Margaret's cinematography is not overly artistic, but rather impressively unintrusive. It displays restraint uncommon in a first-time director.

Negative: This movie is as funny as a $40,000 chemotherapy bill. You can tell the moments where you were supposed to laugh, but these moments feel empty and sad. It's like you're a fly on the wall of the theater during the first screening, and you can see the director's family members forcing a laugh. It leaves you wanting to pull the director aside and give him examples of real comedy (Mel Brooks, Harold Reimis, even Judd Apatow if that's how you choose to live your life).

The film is rife with musical interludes that don't serve any purpose other than maybe draw out the runtime. There are at least three continuous musical tracks at the opening, three different tracks that all sound like DVD menu screen music.

The plot or narrative arc is unclear. The audience misses out on the parts of the characters' development that would be most interesting, then it sort of ends. In between there are a lot of scenes that frankly we can't say belong or don't belong because we can't tell what the director was trying to say. Friends are good? Relationships are... a mixed bag? No clue.

Readers: save yourself an hour and eighteen minutes. Director: Keep working, man, you're going places some day. Try something more traditional before you break the rules.

The trailer doesn't do this film justice. It's a fun, well-made film that feels honest. Nate is earnestly played by a very cute Tyler Ross. Balancing him is Natalie West as Margaret, whose acting and script fit together so perfectly. The writing makes the story fresh and funny, honest and heartfelt. The acting brings it to life in a way that feels true. The film is very professionally edited, making it seem the work of seasoned experts. The genuine chemistry between the actors shows.

Nate is a film student. Margret is a coffee shop waitress and aspiring stand-up comic. Their friendship is deep and meaningful; they obviously have been the most important figure in each others' lives for a while.

Nate's first romantic relationship (with Conor McCahill's excellent James) provides the source of the conflict, as James wants Nate all to himself.

I watched Nate & Margaret because Tyler Ross was in it. I knew about Tyler from watching two excellent movies by Stephen Cone, The Wise Kids and Henry Gamble's Birthday Party. Tyler has a small role in Henry Gamble, a leading role in The Wise Kids. After watching Nate & Margaret, my opinion that Tyler Ross is a wonderful actor has not changed. But as for the movie itself, well, director Nathan Adloff should have a long talk with Stephen Cone about how to make a movie worth watching. Both of Cone's films have interesting, well-developed characters, interwoven stories, and excellent timing. Unfortunately, the excellent acting by the three leads, Natalie West (Margaret), Tyler Ross (Nate), and Conor McCahill (James) could not make up for the poor script and directing.

This movie is worth 7 as a movie, and I'm giving it an extra 1 just for Tyler Ross.

I don't know how other people perceive this movie, but to me it's a movie about a real friendship, a friendship just like a real love doesn't know age, race etc limits.

And also this movie is about not giving up and pursuing your dreams at any age.

As I said I was giving an extra 1 point just for Tyler Ross, he is a good actor and played very well in this movie.

That's it, there is not much to say about this film, dialogues are good except for 1 or 2, and this movie could have been a lot better with the right music choice.

This is a really nice little movie about two people who have a deep friendship at stalled points in their lives. Nate is an incredibly shy film student who is trying to explore life as a gay man. Margaret is a woman with dreams of being a stand up comic who has not learned to speak her own truth. Their friendship is the spark for both of them to move forward in their lives, not without conflict, pain and difficulty. Still, it remains a sweet, light-hearted and hopeful film. Nate's story arc in particular has a very genuine feel. There is really nothing in the movie that feels forces or shoved in for moving the plot forward. Everything flows out of the characters.

It's always nice to see Chicago in a movie as well. It's a location with a lot of character that doesn't get utilized enough.