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CINEMA
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PROPERTY OF SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS
Movie Review
CASUAL
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Published: 04.27.21
MPAA: NR
Genre: Drama.
An excellent choice for your next weekend flick!
RELEASE: 04.30.21
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THE OUTSIDE STORY (2021)
OPENING THOUGHTS:
From writer-director Casimir Nozkowski comes a new indie film emerging from the ground with the spring flowers: The Outside Story.
DIRECTION:
The Outside Story has a slow start, but it's not without humorous execution. The premise is very straight forward, but it’s all about how the filmmakers choose to tell this story. I love cozy indie comedies like this because there is always a hint of realism and honesty mixed with the funny and casual dialogue. It’s got similar bones to Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) and even reminds me of The Boy Downstairs (2017). It's a clever millennial comedy for anyone who has ever had a day where they felt like the world was working against them.
PLOT:
Charles is a recluse who works as a memorial editor from home. Being recently dumped and locked out of his apartment, he has no other choice but to interact with his neighbors and face the reality of his situation. At the same time, he also has to deal with a pain-in-the-rear traffic cop, ticketing him left and right, and a hard deadline from his boss.
Aside from a brief moment of dark shoehorned commentary that although relevant, might not be quite right for this type of movie, it accomplishes most of what it sets out to do. I have no doubt that it will resonate with many people who have been stuck inside their homes for over a year.
ACTING | CHARACTERS | DIALOGUE:
Brian Tyree Henry is a joy on screen. Every facial expression and bit of humor he brings out of Charles is a breath of fresh air. Sunita Mani has such an impeccable delivery throughout, and I've always thought she should get more leading roles since being in Netflix’s GLOW. It’s important to mention that each character is so important to the story, especially the smaller roles, and it’s rare for me to watch a film where every performance was memorable.
VISUAL EFFECTS | MAKEUP | DESIGN:
One of my favorite parts of the film was the opening credits sequence. The text effects paired over the visuals of the editing timeline, along with the sound bites of Charles’ project, was a fun way to get your eyes engaged with the screen. I was not a fan of the shaky feeling cinematography, but I absolutely adored the production design. The bright blue and orange color palette popped but not so much that it oversaturated the colors.
MUSIC | SCORE | SOUND DESIGN:
The sound design worked really well with capturing the essence of the space, even though we didn’t go to too many places. I enjoyed the playful score as it felt very modern and didn’t kill the mood like many comedy scores like to do. My favorite part of the score was in the scene where Charles is roof hopping.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
While spending time outside has felt almost taboo for the past year, it's a fitting film to remind us the importance of not letting life pass you by. All in all, I really liked this movie, and I can confidently say it’s an excellent choice for your next weekend flick!
AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL AND ON DEMAND ON FRIDAY, APRIL 30th
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CONCLUSIVE VERDICT:
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