Review of Waiting for Forever (2010) by Court H — 17 Feb 2014

Waiting For Forever: A Love Story with a Twist.

If you're looking for an innocent and honest love story, Waiting for Forever is exactly what the doctor called for. If you're looking for a movie that is realistic and traditional, you should probably run the other direction.

Tom Sturridge gives an endearing performance as Will, a wanderer and professional juggler, whose parents died in a tragic accident when he was a child. He travels around the country following a childhood friend of his, Emma (Rachel Bilson), a struggling actress who returns home to see her ailing father. Will has spent the past years of his life just trying to get the courage to speak to his long lost love, who has since moved on with her life.

Will's almost-stalking behavior seems a bit creepy, but is made up for by the pure innocence of his character. Sturridge's performance brings the character to life and adds just the right amount of quirkiness that makes you love Will, even if you are also waiting for his mental breakdown. Every twitch of his hand, and the smallest facial expression Sturridge presents, paints Will as the boy who never grew up, an adult who never lost his childlike innocence. Throughout the movie he continuously looks at the ground, and avoids eye contact, which paints Will perfectly. It is this pure innocence that saves the movie from its own near-creepy plot.

Waiting for Forever is definitely not a movie for a realist. It's a movie to get lost in for an hour and half, and not think about how unrealistic the plot is. The fact that Will stalks Emma as she goes about her life could come off disturbing, but somehow producer James Keach and the rest of the cast make it work. With the exception of Blythe Danner, whose performance as Emma's mother is a bit over-the-top if you ask me. The fact that she cries in almost every scene she is in is a bit unrealistic, and for the first half of the movie I was questioning her sanity. The rest of the cast's acting, however, is what makes the film. The cast brings such emotion to it that you can't help but to be touched. It takes you up and down and somehow you find yourself rooting for this loveable guy who never grew up, and never lost hope.

The successful use of flashbacks and quick scene changes at the beginning of the movie creates interest while quickly delivering necessary background information. The plot continues into a quirky love story that is believable if you let yourself fall into Will's world and thoughts. It's easy to follow and easy to enjoy. There may be not be any huge mystery or action scenes, but it works well within the Romantic genre.

Additionally, the subplot involving Emma's parents' struggle with her father's illness is cohesive with the main plot and avoids confusion. A simple "Anytown, USA" set helps create a familiarity that viewers can connect to, and adds a bit of believability as well as being easily recognizable.

Overall, Waiting for Forever is just an easy-to-watch love story with a dash of drama and a thick layer of emotion. It stays away from typical romance movie stereotypes, and what it may lack in realism or fast-pace scenery, it makes up for in honesty and optimism. It's one of those chicken- noodle -soup for the soul kind of movies, and well worth the watch. Who knows? Maybe stalkers are the next big thing in romance!