Thursday, July 10, 2008

This Kiss


This Melbourne-based Kylie Eddy first feature film was a very good surprise because it has a good story told in an outstanding way by an extraordinary storyteller. Eddy is primarily a screenwriter and took her about three years to write the final script, which she truly has to be commended for such a smart written script. The story is based on real life conversations and life experiences of the director with her best friend Tamsin Gatewood that plays one of the two leading roles in the movie.

The film tells about when you finally dare to confront your past and the hope that the future has to be better when you settled unresolved issues with people in your past. The story is told by the way of two characters that were best friends at school and haven’t seen each other for the past ten years. When Juliet (Melanie Lockman) arrives to Lucy’s (Tasmin Gatewood) house, she’s not welcomed and just with actresses’ expressions you get the idea that there is something happening related to the way Lucy looks, as she’s fat. After a while reluctant Lucy allows Juliet inside the house and they start a conversation that will take them to remember what happened 10 years ago at the graduation ball. What follows you have to see it and prepare yourself for a smart and sharp exchange of words, sights and expressions.

You can really tell that even when the director describes the story as a work of fiction, the story has so many layers that most of what is told, done and said could be the story of many around the world.

As a movie is good even when you can tell that is low budget, looks and feels like a stage play, but the director does some good framing, good transitions and interesting handheld camera takes that ease the intensity of whatever is happening in the screen. Actresses’ performances are acceptable and look a lot better than what they actually do because of what they say and what’s happening.

The story has a lesbian interest essence, but honestly this is a story that many women in the world can see and find something to relate to, so I absolutely recommend this movie to all women that want (or need) to get some courage to resolve unresolved matters of their past.

I wish that this talented director and screenwriter had a more robust budget, as she truly deserved more resources to tell this amazing story. Still, with the limited resources she probably had she was able to produce a movie that will grab your attention as soon as Juliet gets into Lucy’s house and holds it while sharply pinching your heart with all the situations.

Enjoy!!!

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