crubeo

'...the film has a great look... and an absolutely stellar lead actress..." '…one of the most real portraits of a modern woman I've seen in the movies..." '...the film works best when it examines the age-old double-standard of judging men and women by their sexual history, a subject tackled in another Chicago-set film from many years ago, ABOUT LAST NIGHT... [from David Mamet's play Sexual Perversity in Chicago]..." 'Keep your eyes out for this small wonder.' AIN'T IT COOL NEWS ~ CAPONE

`HALE BOPP is work of art in the little and not so little details that bring a film together. The mood, the look, and the music are terrific. It's a smart film that knows how these twenty-somethings talk and act. They try to fill up life's empty moments with sex and alcohol, and the awkwardness and insecurities they reveal in moments of vulnerability are all too real.

HALE BOPP is so refreshingly smart yet uncomplicated in its composition that it makes films with similar themes seem dumb and superficial. The performances of Andrea Mustain as `Rachel,' and Brad Eric Johnson as `Ethan' hit just the right notes, and each is successful at suggesting the constant interaction of evolving motives of love, lust, curiosity, fear or rejection, fear of commitment.

By giving his characters and their actions texture and complexity, writer-director Chris Rubeo creates a world that is true-to-life without being conventional. As a result, HALE BOPP is less about plot and more about people waiting for their plots to begin. Rubeo is willing to leave things open and shows possibilities for his characters without immediately sealing their respective fates. In a world of juvenile blockbusters and too many snide, obscure art films, this kind of film doesn't come around often. Catch it if you can.'

I thought "Rachel" was absolutely fantastic. She was refreshingly non-traditional, amazingly photogenic, and a wonderful actress that didn't appear to be acting at all. She was "Rachel" in the flesh, and she had everyone in love with her at the first scene. The direction and cinematography made the viewer feel as if they were yet another friend within the circle of friends observing and watching the situations unfold.

It didn't seem forced, the story line unfolded naturally and logically, and paralleled real life drama rather that a cookie cutter Hollywood prototype of a "love" story. The situations were believable, the dialogue witty and impactful... ...I really enjoyed the film. I was again especially pleased to find it sticking along real-life lines rather than playing the Hollywood scripting game, and the characters were undoubtedly brought to life by the wonderful actors and actresses.