See Girl Run

(2013) See Girl Run DRAMA/ ROMANCE/ COMEDY

Written and directed by Nate Meyer- a pointless movie that doesn't go nowhere, starring Robin Tunney as Emmie, who works at a dog facility shelter center her husband owns, she looks after and grooms other peoples dogs calling the business "See Spot Run"- get it!!...which is similar to the movie's title. And by the time Emmie comes home, her husband apparently doesn't appear to be drawn into her as he once was. Motivating her to consider on going back to revisit her childhood neighborhood again on some small town near Seattle, Washington from NYC. Viewers are then subjected to many pointless back and forth scenes of Jason (Adam Scott) and Emmie's current lives. As we see Emmie's old high school crush Jason, who works in a mediocre6 job, and at the same time, unhappy with his current girlfriend, we're also seeing Emmie's unhappy situation as well, as she looks at some of the things her old boyfriend used to give her "before" she was even married. Jason seems to get a percentage of his money from drawing only 'toads", as he sells them to bars and establishments around the small town area. You know for a guy who has that much talent, viewers are left wondering how come 'toads' are the only thing he draws? And why is it he doesn't try to sell them on-line for instance, for it could be that the film is supposed to be old fashion. And it was at this point, the Jason character begins to act so pitiful that he's beginning to look like a total disgrace to all men.

See Girl Run (2012)

Robin Tunney is pretty terrific in this small budget big impact story of a young married woman still obsessed with her high school boyfriend. Everything depends on Tunney's ability to make her character, Emmie, believable and complex, and she pulls it off.

Around her are her husband (a boring Jeremy Strong) and her ex-boyfriend (a charming Adam Scott). Right there you have the set-up because you really kind of want Emmie to go with the charming dream she left behind instead of the routine life with her routine (but nice) hubby.

There is a slow easy plainness to this movie that may not appeal to some. It has to make sure the ordinary doesn't tip into the dull, and generally it does that. Partly it depends on some strong secondary characters, including her mother and father and comically depressed brother in Maine, where she visits. And partly it depends on the romantic high stakes of the plot.

For me the final emotional turning point is too pushed on us, too sudden, too clever by half. For others it will seem beautiful and appropriate. (You'll have to see it to see.) But when it all gets to where it's going it feels about right.

Tunney has done a lot of lesser movies and some better t.v. over the years (including over a hundred episodes of "The Mentalist") and she really deserves a big break into some kind of serious movie role. Scott, likewise, has a mixed career (I liked him a lot in "The Vicious Kind" which has a similar production level as this one) and he, too, will likely have a big breakthrough one of these years. The two don't, however, have much time together on screen here, which would have been interesting.

If there are limitations to the whole enterprise they might belong to the writer/director, Nate Meyers, who does a credible but predictable job, revealing (I guess) his short resume (this is his second film, with one more in the works). But it is partly the simplicity of the plot an editing that lets the genuine warmth of the actors come through. For that it's worth a look.

"See Girl Run" sees Emmie (Robin Tunney) missing her old high school boyfriend. She's married now but decides she's not happy and wants to revisit her life with Jason (Adam Scott). Jason still lives in their hometown, is the local star of a seafood restaurant and is in a dead-end relationship. And the whole movie is reinforcing those same concepts over and over again.

The theme of a woman trying to figure out what went wrong in her life is played out entirely dramatically. Don't expect any comedy and only minimal romance. The characters were given their own quirky characteristics (Jason really likes frogs), and quirky friends. It's possible they were supposed to provide the comedy, but the friends weren't fleshed out, and the film really struggled connecting Jason to the main plot even though he is of course the point of Emmie's trip home.

The film moves very slowly. Emmie doesn't act rashly, she also doesn't emote much emotion. She meets up with her brother when she returns home, and he's depressed. Her parents are unhappy with each other. And did I mention that Jason and his current girlfriend aren't happy with each other either? It's a whole lot of depression which makes it seem like the film is moving even slower.

Shot on location in Portland, Maine, the film has a very washed-out, wet and grey look which negatively adds to the depressed feel. Those who personally relate to Emmie's mid-life crisis will probably actively watch her come to some sort of romantic resolution, but for the rest of us, there is nothing to connect us to Emmie or the rest of the sullen characters. "See Girl Run" just moves too slowly and despondently.

Who might like this: Women who relate to Emmie's story; Portland, Maine residents who want to see their hometown in film; and people who like depressed, indie, romantic dramas.

I like indie romantic dramas, but I am very skeptical about their execution. This one is enormously depressing. It's almost like a documentary, and you could ask yourself why it's worth spending time watching a bunch of losers get depressed. However.......

There are a number of key elements, including outstanding dialog, that make it well worth your while. They show you the reality of marriage, which is that an aging person is sharing your bed and bathroom and that is not always sexy.

They show you that in most cases, you can't go backwards. You must grow up and move on with your choices. This is actually made clear through two wonderful monologues by the female lead's father. I think he is William Sadler. Bravo dude.

The lead wears little or no makeup. If you are used to seeing her in a more glamorous light, be prepared. The coastal Maine setting is very interesting and appealing to me at least. The cinematographer frames some wonderful shots of smoke stacks amidst gloomy sky.

But for me the best part of the film is the actor Adam Scott, who plays the old high school boyfriend. He is so natural and earnest, that you really feel for his dilemma. He's a really nice guy who just can't get on with things. He's stuck in gear.

The characterization with the lead's little brother is the major flaw. We need to know more about him. If you are going to present someone as clinically depressed, at least let us know what he has done for a living in the past, what is his main conflict, and how long he's been this way.

Stay away from this movie unless you love very natural, sensitive, insightful dialog about growing up and making choices, or you just like movies about small towns and "unfinished business." I do, so I liked it.

If you like movies about crying-baby adults, you may find yourself crying after watching this movie. Run away from this.