Somewhere Slow

This is the sort of movie that knocks your socks off in it is subtlety. Excellent but powerful story about transition and transformation - and applicable to anyone's life journey. And great performances by lead actors, Jessalyn Gilsig and Graham Patrick Martin. An unlikely meeting of two people struggling with life's hurdles. Their encounter is surprisingly true to the name of the film. It took me to those slow, yet special times that are just that -- fleeting moments in life that we will long cherish. Beautifully filmed on ___location in a quaint New England setting, the film contains scenes with amazing texture and captures the characters in a captivating, almost dreamlike sequence of events that is powerful and enlightening for them and the viewer. With direction and screenplay by Jeremy O'Keefe, this is highly polished and professional for a newcomer's first full-length feature. A sleeper hit in the making and worthwhile independent film flying well under the radar. Romance meets coming of age - I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for either.

If I lived the life of Anna Thompson, every fiber of my existence would want to escape too! The warped predictability of the relationship with her husband, her family in crisis, job issues, and her own self issue - when an unexpected opportunity to escape was presented to her, with no real consideration of the consequences, she jumped at the chance. Actually she just jumped. Or snapped.

Either way, this movie is competently shot, excellently acted to present a jittery yet authentic portrayal of a woman in crisis, who ends up spending time with a wayward youth.

I cannot understate the extent that Jessalyn Gilsig got inside the character of Anna Thompson. She made compelling, believable viewing.

The film surprisingly dealt with a range of issues which stem from Anna's complex and neurotic self image, in an unassuming way that is further complicated by the context - kind of a bucket list of sometimes almost improper behavior, yet achieving the improper in almost justifiable though somehow milder ways.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

It's a full blown Mid-Life crisis that Jessalyn Gilsig goes through n Somewhere Slow which is what she is looking for. She's rebelling against the routine she finds so stifling. When she's an innocent ystander n a bodega robbery/homicide she panics and runs away.

Her traveling companion is Graham Patrick Martin a runaway Mormon kid who peddleshimsekf to survive. Martin steals a car and off they go.

Unlike his character in Major Crimes, Martin is questioning his sexuality He's not gay for pay, but he's not sure where he belongs, if anywhere particlarly.

Both leads fit well in their parts. Wouldlike to have had some hint as to what Martin's character will do, but maybe just as well we don't get one in this film.

At first, this movie is an adventure, occasionally funny. Then the action slows down, and the couple talk about all sorts of things going on in their lives, and the movie is more of a romance. Nothing really has to happen because these two are so appealing. At one point there is conflict, and we hope for the couple to resolve the conflict. And when Anna finally recharges her phone, she has numerous messages. We get to listen to all of them, and it's quite effective.

About that conflict: Several weeks before I saw this, I saw Julia Roberts in "Eat, Pray, Love". Anna has something in common with Roberts' character. Both ran away from what some would call a perfect life. Actually, Roberts' character came closer to having a perfect life, but both she and Anna are told their lives were too perfect for them to just go on the run. In Anna's case there may have been more justification, but her life wasn't really that bad.

Jessalyn Gilsig is so likable despite her character's flaws, and Graham Patrick Martin, whoever he is, does a good job too. They make a nice couple. And when there is conflict, it gives them a chance to show how really talented they are.

David Costabile, as the husband, does his best work in the phone messages.

The scenery is pretty and, true to the title, the cottage is "somewhere slow" compared to the hectic life both characters have had.

Yes, Massachusetts isn't that close and the one nuclear plant in the state isn't anywhere close to the border and doesn't even look like this one. Maybe I missed some detail, but it's likely the movie's writers weren't trying for accuracy.

There are some curious editing choices. At one point the audio is the couple in bed, while the video is them changing clothes. A similar situation exists later on where the action jumps back and forth between inside and outside.

What I believe to be the f-word gets used a few times, but the version of the movie I saw doesn't seem too bad. It's not quite family-friendly but not too bad.

It's a mostly pleasant effort if you can ignore all the laws being broken.