I can't say I enjoyed "You and Me and Everyone We Know", since I sat with a knot in my stomach till the credits rolled, braced for something gruesome to befall these wonderful characters I cared about. Maybe it's because so many low-budget films feature, if not glorify, society's ugly underbelly. I've been conditioned to expect negativity in my indies.
Triple-threat (writer, director, star) Miranda July has done the near impossible-- she's crafted a smart, edgy, engaging film, with a brave and open heart. She's a lovely actress, in a Rachel Griffiths kind of way, with a bold-faced optimism and sincerity that leap off the screen.
Her object of affection, John Hawkes (you'll know the face), is everything a leading man is not: Awkward, angst-ridden, and utterly confused. He and July have serious chemistry; their scene along the street is pure gold.
The real secret to this film is in the children's performances, all of which are captivating and totally real. These young souls are wise beyond their years, at ease in the world of adult sexuality, but utterly confused about love and intimacy, which they so desperately crave. There isn't a false note among them.
Triple-threat (writer, director, star) Miranda July has done the near impossible-- she's crafted a smart, edgy, engaging film, with a brave and open heart. She's a lovely actress, in a Rachel Griffiths kind of way, with a bold-faced optimism and sincerity that leap off the screen.
Her object of affection, John Hawkes (you'll know the face), is everything a leading man is not: Awkward, angst-ridden, and utterly confused. He and July have serious chemistry; their scene along the street is pure gold.
The real secret to this film is in the children's performances, all of which are captivating and totally real. These young souls are wise beyond their years, at ease in the world of adult sexuality, but utterly confused about love and intimacy, which they so desperately crave. There isn't a false note among them.
