Review of Monogamy (2010) by Jordan R — 16 Mar 2011

His first film is âMurderball,â? the 2005 documentary about competitive rugby played by paraplegics.

His new film is âMonogamy,â? a feature about a couple on the verge of marriage and a husband-to-be with a bad case of cold feet.

Synonymous titles are not the only thing Dana Adam Shapiroâ(TM)s movies have in common. Theyâ(TM)re both excellent.

Rashida Jones and Chris Messina star as Nat and Theo, a soon to be married-couple living in downtown Manhattan.

When Theo is not shooting wedding photos, he has a side gig he calls Gumshoot. People hire him to follow them surreptitiously and take random pictures.

One day he receives an e-mail from Subgirl, a hot blond whose private pleasures can sometimes be seen in public. Reviewing his photos of the girl, Theo is reminded of the lack of intimacy between himself and his bride to be.

With âMonogamy,â? Shapiro was aiming for what he calls a European-style relationship drama combined with a De Palma thriller and amateur YouTube-style porn. Thatâ(TM)s mostly what you get with the new movie, but without the explicit content.

Often the biggest challenge for a filmmaker switching from documentary to drama is working with actors. Shapiro deftly manages his cast, eliciting a performance from Rashida Jones that is eminently superior to previous work in forgettable studio movies like âCop Out.â?

In âMonogamy,â? she is natural and never reaching; slipping easily into the role of an everyday girl with everyday concerns.

As strong as she is, her character is subordinate to Messinaâ(TM)s as he stalks Subgirl with mounting temptation. Much of his work is done solo, watching and soon obsessing over her extracurricular activities. The expression on his face seems neutral, but there is no mistaking what is going through his mind.

Not just an actorâ(TM)s director, Shapiro demonstrates canny shot selection and smooth editing in his montage sequences. The scene in which Theo photographs Subgirl in the park is captivating, escalating and purely cinematic.

Doug Emmettâ(TM)s camera floats freely through dingy bars in long, uninterrupted takes. His nighttime streets are saturated black with pools of incandescence, and his daytime sidewalks are peopled not with extras but everyday pedestrians.

As good as it is, âMonogamyâ? is not without its weak points. Do people often hire someone to photograph them unwittingly? And the unexpected plot twist concerning Subgirl disappoints with an affirmation of the conventional.

Quibbling aside, âMonogamyâ? is everything it sets out to be. The dialogue scenes are sincere and smack of reality, the characters and places feel like ones we know and when the talking stops, montage sequences open up the movie, providing a compelling narrative kick.

Nothing much is at stake in âMonogamy,â? but it is a fine character piece exquisitely told. For Dana Adam Shapiro, it is a first feature that augers a promising career to come.

*** (out of four).