Making her feature directorial debut, writer/director/actor Michele Remsen tosses the comedy ball to the audience with TOSS IT; a comedy that in many respects harkens to the early days of screwball comedies with witty and biting banter punctuated with comedic hijinks, most notably reminiscent of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Story”.
Remsen, a true force of nature herself, brings her skills as playwright, television and theatre scribe to the big screen while stepping both in front of and behind the camera. Knowing this, it comes as no surprise that standout in TOSS IT is the strength of character development, starting with Emily and Finn, and the uber-dysfunctional misfits around them. Stepping away from the cliched character types we know oh too well – the charming cute perpetual bachelor and the cynical shrewd woman who knows not to fall for any cheap line and cute smile that comes along – Remsen explores the “why” behind each character and the motivations that make Emily and Finn who they are now as we meet them. There is nothing cookie-cutter about this. It’s that “why” journey that sets TOSS IT apart from other rom-coms.
With Remsen playing Emily to Phil Burke’s Finn, the two leap off the screen with verbal sparring from beginning to end, fueled by deliciously witty and fun banter, much of it on topics so relatable in today’s world. As Finn, Burke gives off an “I don’t care” vibe and has somewhat of a dour look on life and dating while Remsen dives in headfirst celebrating Emily’s cynicism and intelligent wit. No one is pussy-footing around anything with these two!
Here, that stage is set as the film opens with a wedding at which Emily and Finn are in attendance. And as we all know, weddings often inevitably turn into a liquor-laced verbal free-for-all. Not only is the scene and film charged by the chemistry between Remsen and Burke, but by the atmosphere Remsen creates with the depth and honest portrayal of supporting players and her attention to directorial details that make the film cinematic.
While Emily and Finn are front and center throughout the film as they embark on a very unique relationship, the ensemble itself is very fleshed out with each character being someone you can either identify with or whom you know, as buttons get pushed and prodded in revelatory fashion. And it’s through this pushing and prodding that we see and understand why Finn is the way he is and Emily is the way she is. Important is that this also makes this a very “active” movie with the interplay amongst all of the characters.
And what a cast of characters Remsen has assembled! In addition to Burke, standout is Blair Ross, Stephen Bogardus, Allison Frasca, Eric Goss, and the wonderful hilarity of Malachy McCourt.
Part of making this an “active” movie are the issues tackled by the characters and the baggage each brings into a relationship, be it as a couple, as a family, as friends. It’s invigorating to see and hear this type of truth unfold on screen, especially when the best-laid plans go so far awry they land in the next county. How do people respond to given situations and in societal context? And do they learn from their experiences? Or do they fall into self-imposed traps and spin their wheels like a hamster on a wheel? Remsen very artfully crafts this into not only the dialogue but the accompanying moments of riotous physical slapstick comedy.
Already engaged by this non-traditional rom-com through character, story, and dialogue, Remsen pays equally close attention to the visual tonal bandwidth of TOSS IT, most notably working with cinematographer George Barnes. With much of the film shot in one home in upstate New York, Barnes makes the most of the floor plan and design to create work-around camera angles that are interesting and metaphoric, using light with such success and finesse so as to almost make it a character in the film.
Adding to that are Remsen’s other locations, hotels and sites around Manhattan, including Remsen’s own neighborhood, and one location standing in for Las Vegas, most notably being the hotel with the all-important wedding sequence. It’s interesting to watch the precision with which Barnes shoots the hotel sequences as being composed and classical with an elegant movement but then as characters’ true natures erupt, so does the camera movement as it becomes more angular and jumpy as if the stabilizer is turned off. Very effective and serves as a nice emotional contrast to the warmth inside a family home and its true heart – the kitchen with its golden glow. Exteriors embrace a beautiful natural light that celebrates the blues and greens of Mother Nature.
Lorna Chin’s editing is crisp and sharp. Chin has a keen eye with pacing and knowing when to let a scene breathe, something that is always tricky with comedy. The result is a film with a nice flow so the audience is neither feeling bogged down nor stuck tapping their feet waiting for something to happen. Thanks to Barnes’ beautiful lensing and scenes “on the road”, the way Chin holds a shot, a feeling, we are met with almost a sense of freedom as Emily and Finn, like TOSS IT, buck the traditional and expected emotional tropes and trappings of a rom-com and learn to grow.
Icing on the cake is an easy fluid score by Owen Ross.
TOSS IT catches the comedy bouquet!
Written and Directed by Michele Remsen
Cast: Michele Remsen, Phil Burke, Blair Ross, Stephen Bogardus, Allison Frasca, Eric Goss, Malachy McCourt
by debbie elias, 05/26/2020
