By: debbie lynn elias
“She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not.” Well, this movie may be titled SHE LOVES ME NOT, but trust me when I say you will love SHE LOVES ME NOT. To paraphrase the main character, writer Brady Olinson, “Get sober. Get a new suit. Kiss some babies. And go see SHE LOVES ME NOT!!!!”
Brady Olinson is a reclusive alcoholic. And a liar. And a womanizer. And a once successful author. But now, he’s his own worst enemy – and only friend. Divorced, paying a fortune in alimony/settlement, and already a has been, he needs another bestseller now. In the midst of remodeling his river front mansion, Brady is finding himself more than a bit cash poor. His publisher wants to get him back on track and on top again with a new book, one that is a revelation thanks to his suddenly insightful look at women (at least it seems insightful on the printed page). Hiring a publicist to “clean him up” and put his best foot forward, Brady is anything but amenable to Marcy’s help. Just like he was anything but amenable to his assistant Charlotte’s help. And, of course, Marcy and Charlotte each have their own agendas that somehow aren’t in Brady’s best interests. But despite what seems to be everyone’s best efforts, Brady just keeps spiraling lower into hell. Just how far down will he have to go to hit rock bottom before he can start to climb back up?
Written by Brian Jun and Jack Sanderson in a chapter premise format, there are three distinct chapters with three primary females going toe-to-toe with Cary Elwes’ Brady. Adding to the concept is having different directors for each chapter. Jun directs Chapters 1 and 2 while Sanderson directs the third. With each beautifully rendered, Chapters 1 and 2, “The Assistant” and “The Publicist” have a darker tone to them, with Brady getting progressively drunker and more cantankerous. Of course, Karen Black pops up in Chapter 2 and zings us with a complete twist into horror. But then Sanderson steps in to direct Chapter 3, “The Keeper”, filling the world with a sunny lightness. The tonal shift is stunning and serves to showcase the emotional shift of Brady and the film, landing on an upbeat, happy and hopeful note.
This is the best performance I have seen from Cary Elwes in years – if not in his career. Almost as if channeling Nick Nolte, Elwes is the embodiment of Brady Olinson delivering an intense character study of a man in the midst of a mid-life egomaniacal crisis, even delivering moments of creepy, dirty old man in scenes with Briana Evigan’s Charlotte. Emotionally vacillating through the chapters of Brady’s life (great story design – chapter-author-books), Elwes takes us on an emotional roller coast making us feel like he’s adopting personas and playing a plethora of characters from Brady’s books. Fascinating!
What’s not to LOVE about Joey Lauren Adams. As Beth, she soars! Would love to see another chapter, or epilogue, with Brady and Beth. Caitlin Keats easily tackles the duplicitous publicist, Marcy, while Briana Evigan moves between seductive ingenue and unappreciated assistant Charlotte with an uncomfortable edginess. And of course, Karen Black is simply delicious, oozing ominous malevolence.
Applause, applause, applause to production designer Alexa Roland who, together with cinematographer Ryan Samul, celebrates the construction work occurring at the home, while steeping us in both the past and the present. Chapter 2 in particular, with its darker ambient nature has a lighting palette from Samul that feels older, darker, more hidden, akin to a hidden past – something which is the essence of the legendary Olin estate itself where the movie was filmed. Chapter 1 is starker, washed out pale interiors while outside is overlit to bright saturation causing one to visually wince along with the drunk Brady when forced into daylight with his 24/7 binging hangover. Subtle visual metaphor such fruit peel or slice floating in a glass of vodka harkens to Brady just floating through life. The vodka is clear and has no depth or texture, much like Brady. As the film progresses, he moves into scotch and bourbon – darker drinks for his darker moods and the darker tone of the film. Chapter 2 bodes extreme darkness and dare we say, horror, with the appearance of Karen Black as housekeeper/cook Karla who has an interesting command of the kitchen – dark red wine, black dishware – darkness is everywhere while Brady is blacked out in a drunken stupor. By Chapter 3, visuals have color, sun-kissed warmth, fruit juice, lemonade – sunny, light and bright – and all of that is fueled by Joey Lauren Adams sunny disposition as Beth.
3 chapters, 3 distinct tones, yet there is a tonal bandwidth that ties everything together, seamlessly melding all as if three pieces making the whole of the man.
Making it’s World Premiere at Dances With Films 2013, you’ve got to love SHE LOVES ME NOT.
Written and Directed by Brian Jun and Jack Sanderson
Cast: Cary Elwes, Joey Lauren Adams, Karen Black, Briana Evigan, Caitlin Keats, Lisa Edelstein
