Review of Peter and Vandy (2009) by David W — 13 Feb 2010

In Short:

An independent film with a well-cast set of actors. Both Ritter and Wexler nailed their performances spot on. The direction the movie took was both enticing and charming. I honestly believe this movie is one of the best "chick flicks" I have ever seen. Easily a perfect score, you will not be disappointed!

A must see if you enjoyed: Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Before Sunrise, or Cashback.

The Nitty-Gritty:

This is independent movie making at its prime. It is movies like Peter and Vandy that bring back my confidence in up and coming actors and directors. This movie far surpassed my original expectations when I first heard about it. Presuming this was another grade B "chick flick", I was stumped immediately after the trailer, the characters gave off an awkward hint at reality, instead of sugar-coating the reality of relationships.

There was a sense of comfort that both Ritter and Wexler conveyed between one another throughout the movie that gave me my own amenity. I'm not going to say I wasn't laughing or thrown off by the occasional, completely awkward moment, where I couldn't help to notice a smirk on my own face. But there was a genuine connection you felt between the characters and their interaction with the world around them. The actors' personalities played off of one another perfectly. I wouldn't be able to tell you a more believable couple on screen. The contrast the director used to capture this relationship in it's essence was superb, you couldn't help to feel enveloped in the story and feel for the characters as their relationship played out.

This was an excellent example of how chick flicks really can be more then just a cliche; knocking off stereotypes and generic happy endings, with underdeveloped plots. It showed us the dirty, unhappy, and even uneasy parts we all face in relationships; the awkward moments, the nasty fights, and the times that we say, for a lack of better words, "fuck it" and make up our differences.

Overall:

Excellent movie, I loved it and would recommend this to anyone, whether old or young, single or in a relationship. The actors performances are top notch and the director did an excellent job of adding a story twist by utilizing a "cut-and-paste" time line to the movie. I give it a 10 out of 10.