City Baby

I was completely engaged throughout this movie. It has a real sense of Cinematic quality and flow, which is what I want from a Narrative Feature. Unlike an episode of Girls where everyone is talking abrasively to render a shallow conclusion or to get in a bit of witticism that ironically sums up the Y generation. As for the mixed feelings about the main characters personality.... I think you either like a cookie cutter film that follows a semi flawed but likable protagonist and has an identifiable villain, or in the case of this movie, you want your characters real and unpredictable. If you like the bitter taste of "Greenberg" Noah Bambach better than the flighty whimsical "Frances Ha" then you will love this movie. Its good either way and one of my favorite Indies. Not a boring mess like the mumble core movement either.

I know David Morgan and Cora Benesh. They are friends of mine. I rarely go to my friends screenings, because it is not healthy for our friendship 19 out of 20 times. (Not kidding about this) This was the one exception. This film is a small indie that is actually about something; it actually has a storyline that is both comic and poignant -- and it's well told by the writer/director, David Morgan. This film parades Portland talent like no other. The casting by the producers, including Timothy Whitcomb, was exceptional. I am a voting member of the Academy and am sent all the top films every year, so I watch films until I am blue in the face -- but this one worked. I have seen it twice now. No car chases, no slashing, no zombies or vampires, just astute minds at work. Take a look, if you like small indie films without name talent that soars high above the usual crap that is out there. If you aspire to make a good film with a small budget that is actually distributed, let this film be a source of support. It can be done.

I really enjoyed this film. Interestingly, I think for the same reasons some of the other reviewers here did not. The characters seemed all intentionally unlikable - yet they were interesting - at least to me. Also, it was not a heavily plotted film, but more of a slice of life. Personally, I enjoy watching films that are not so heavily plotted but are more like a small window into a world that we get to peek into for a little while. And here, form seems to follow function. In other words, the story just kind of meanders along as do the characters in the film. So, for me, the "structure" of the story - or rather lack there of - really suits the subject matter and theme of this film, which is a group of lost twenty somethings aimlessly drifting about their lives. I also feel that the director did a great job setting the mood and tone of the story - the music, the art direction, the lighting and camera work were all really cohesive and gave me a good feel of the world that these characters inhabit. I've never been to Portland, but the attitude felt a lot like my hometown. Everyone wanted to go to New York too - really just for the sake of going. If you left the small town to go to the big city, that was an accomplishment in itself. I get that from these characters here - but their real problem is that they have no real goals or any true intention to achieve them. I think the intention of the film is to cast a light on a lazy, aimless generation that expects everything for nothing and Cora Benesh's character and performance capture this attitude perfectly.

It is really hard to like anyone in David Morgan's me generation debut film about absolutely nothing. With all the people dropping dead in Africa and Syria where do people come off making movies as meaningless as this one. The lead female part, played by a Portland model, can't carry a film, and the character of the stupid gay theater manager, played by City Baby producer Timothy Whitcomb, feels like someone dug up from the 1970's trying to be Nathan Lane. The camera work is competent, but it never rises above antenna television. Production design was okay too, but nothing to write home about. I love indie movies and watch a lot of them, but this one felt really out of touch. Honestly, I couldn't tell you what this is about.

As US Indies go, this one's cup is certainly more half empty than full. Sure, not a terrible first effort, but really nothing here you won't see much better in many a student film. The problems really begin with the lead actor, the very beautiful but completely underwhelming Cora Benesh. A performance so lame you have to wonder what the director was thinking in casting her. Are people in Portland really this mindless or is she just someone David Morgan managed to get within his meager budget. And then there's the meandering story without any substance whatsoever. It leaves you wondering what the point was in making the movie. I saw City Baby at Dances with Films in Los Angeles. It didn't catch much fire there either, but I guess it will need to screen at more established festivals before it finds its way or not.