Review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007) by Davey M — 22 Nov 2010

Something of an ultra-low-budget gem--there are things that are just plain poorly done (some of the cinematography, sound, editing, and even acting in places), there are things that simply demonstrate a different aesthetic than a Hollywood film (isn't it wonderful to see a movie that so unashamedly wears its low budget on its sleeve, and is willing to deal straightforwardly with romance in a digital age?), and things that are absolutely sublime (the script is really pretty great, and, though the execution is obviously amateurish, for better or worse, the plotting and dialogue almost never falter). The Craigslist-era "Before Sunrise" story goes in a few welcomely unexpected though entirely believable places (especially in the last act), and there's some very bittersweet thematic heft to it, especially in the opening montage (which recalls "Manhattan," and actually boasts some really lovely B&W cinematography, even if much of the rest of the film is visually amateurish), and the final scenes, dealing with saying goodbye to an old year and hello to a new one.

It takes a bit of time to get used to a movie that looks like something you and your friends could have shot and cut together--but, once you do, there's something enormously refreshing about that. Because, in the end, the story carries the day, and it's positively inspiring to see a $12,000 movie that is sweet and moving and funny and critically acclaimed. Hollywood-level production values will always have a place, but it's nice to see at least some moviegoers making room for this sort of film. It deserves it.