Review of After the Reality (2016) by Brian S — 18 Aug 2016

In this little independent dramedy with a large idea, writer/director David Anderson's 2016 film After The Reality should serve as a nice palate cleanser to the many cheese-filled television shows that feed America.

Anderson has ABCs 'The Bachelorette' (his is called 'Young Bucks') firmly in his crosshairs and the parody is mostly spot on with his recreation of melodramatic music, sweeping crane shots and dating show clichés.

While this portion of After The Reality is fun, it serves as the backdrop to the real drama of the plot about one of the contestants (performed by Glee's Mathew Morrison, doing is sad sack indie best) going back home to see his family.

The kicker is that the show is currently running on air while he is home and many questions are brought up (Did he win? Why is he gone? Are they in love?!). The problem is that Anderson puts a lot of the scripts "drive" in this and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to come up with the (probable) resolution-leaving the viewer thinking 'get on with it.

' The tone widely shifts from the "reality show" portion of the things-acting as satire-to the family drama and Anderson never finds a coherent middle ground for two, leaving After The Reality a topsy-turvy affair with some nice distractions but nothing too impactful.