Starring: Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Jonathan Levine
Country: USA
Genre: Dramedy
Coming of age isn’t just for teenagers.
The coming-of-age film can usually be riddled with independent film clichés bogging down any semblance of tenderness the story may hold, but if the film is really driven from a personal place and passion it can usually overcome these obstacles. Such is the case with Jonathan Levine’s The Wackness. The cast is as solid as they come, with strong performances from both experienced veterans (Ben Kingsley = greatest actor ever,) as well as newcomers (the underrated Olivia Thirlby, and under seen Josh Peck.) It’s a tale of first love, a journey into manhood, and a huge slice of nostalgia as it takes place in the mid-nineties and boasts a soundtrack of the greatest era of rap music. Like the best independent dramedies, it balances its quirkiness with its darkness really well, and ultimately creates a portrait of what it was like to take the first step toward growing up at age 18 and at age 50.
Starring: George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga
Director: Jason Reitman
Country: USA
Genre: Dramedy
Airports have never been more appealing.
Reitman may have the Midas touch when it comes to independent dramedies. Thank You For Smoking gushed with style, Juno bled with character, and Up In the Air combines all of the things that make the aforementioned films great. With a script as spot on as one can get, and a cast as gifted as they come, this film really… um… ’soars’. Clooney has never felt more Cary Grant-ish than in this film which displays his talent for large amounts of dialogue and massive amounts of charm. It may not end up being a crowd pleaser, but it’s quality of filmmaking is undeniably stellar. Up In the Air is a wonderful story of a personal journey of opening up, and an insightful look into the current economic state of the country. When all is said and done, it’s an interesting statement on what’s important in life.
Starring: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Director: Tamara Jenkins
Country: USA
Genre: Independent, Dramedy
The Savages is the Citizen Kane of independent old age home dramedies.
Films that follow pseudo intellectual types are generally too high brow for their own good. There is something special about The Savages in that it shows two characters of high academia in a very realistic situation. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman (in a pair of pitch-perfect performances,) play siblings dealing with the trials and tribulations of their mediocre lives who are forced to take care of their estranged father as he slips into dementia. The themes are ripe for a heavy-handed drama, but Jenkins manages to weave a thread of light comedy through the film, reminding us that no matter how bad things get, we need to be able to laugh at ourselves and situations otherwise we’d go insane. It has a wonderful perspective of old age and what we choose to prioritize in our lives.
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale
Director: Thomas McCarthy
Country: USA
Genre: Independent, Dramedy
As perfect and independent cinema comes.
The Station Agent is one of those films that I always forget how much I love until I watch it again. It’s really modest about itself; something a lot of independent films wish they could say. It follows a train enthusiast who inherits a train depot where he inadvertently, and much to his initial demise, meets two friends. The film is a great look at acceptance and embracement of the things we can’t control in life, because, after all, these are the things that define us. One of its best qualities is that, while it’s never really laugh out loud funny, it never gets too bogged down in its own drama. Thomas McCarthy makes a hellava directorial debut here with his own script, getting wonderful performances from all three of his main actors. Note to self: don’t forget how much you like this film.
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, Alexis Zegerman
Director: Mike Leigh
Country: UK
Genre: Dramedy
She’s kind of like a Disney character. Isn’t she? Yeah.
I feel weird saying it aloud, but this film challenged me in ways I hadn’t thought possible. It focuses on a character so hell-bent on being cheery that it begins to get a little grating. Immediately I was conflicted over having this feeling for such a well intentioned character, but slowly the layers started to peel back and a chasm of depth was revealed. My pessimistic way of thinking immediately started believing that I was being mislead and that this mostly-happy story could only end in death or some cataclysmic event, but I was pleasantly surprised by its outcome and the message it successfully delivered.
Starring: Seung-yeon Lee, Hyun-kyoon Lee
Director: Ki-duk Kim
Country: South Korea
Genre: Foreign, Romance
Chaplin. Keaton. Ki-duk Kim?
When a film of any country’s origin embraces the idea of images being a universal language, I tend to get a bit giddy, (don’t get me going on Chaplin films…) 3-Iron is so in touch with the idea that a story can be told without verbal language and still convey a wholly touching story, probably even better than most other films. To summarize it would take more words than I have room for here, but the first half of the film plays out a lot like Wall-E in two characters falling in love through excellently developed tender moments that never fall under schlocky, but remain in the cute realm that gives you butterflies. The second half of the film takes an unforeseen turn, but always stays true to the story being told. 3-Iron is absolutely one to be seen by any romance enthusiast.
Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl
Director: Judd Apatow
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy
It’s all fun and games until someone pops a baby out.
After his 2004 gem The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Judd sharpened his hooks to sink into a more mature story with immature characters. Apatow and gang know how to craft a crude yet insightful coming of age comedy that can glide between its main character tripping on mushrooms to the fear that comes from having a child. Few films that attempt their hand at both comedic and dramatic can boast success, but then there definitely aren’t enough that give it their all. Knocked Up does, and there’s no question whether or not it works because it all just feels so natural. Most of the funniest comedies, and even some of the most dramatic films could find here a lesson in genuineness.
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby
2008 Films | this guy over here March 6, 2010 | 
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