Being an intimate, black-and-white portrayal of just two people, it is worth mentioning the two leads in the very first sentence: Blue Jay stars the incredibly versatile Sarah Paulson, who most of you will know from her depiction of Marcia Clark in The People vs. O.J., and Mark Duplass from Creep. In this incredibly intricate dialogue-driven drama, he is of course named Jim, a regular guy with some issues, who runs into his high-school sweetheart Amanda at the grocery store. She is only in town briefly because her sister is having a baby. Amanda agrees to have coffee with him, later they get beer and jellybeans, and find themselves recreating silly tapes at his late mother’s house that they use to make when they were still at school. This could quickly become a soppy affair if it wasn’t for the heart-felt realness of the acting, for lack of a better term, and all the fine details that the two leads bring to the screen. The chemistry between them is something to behold!
"If the hour and a half spent inside this story seems fleeting, it's only because sometimes that's the best you can ask of a good nostalgia trip."
— Steve Greene
"A gentle, genuine trip down memory lane that features one of our best actresses in the kind of role she doesn't get to play that often."
— Brian Tallerico
Meeting by chance when they return to their tiny California hometown, two former high-school sweethearts reflect on their shared past.
I don’t understand why this is rated as “grown-up comedy”. I cried my eyes out when watching. This hits so close to home.
This is an incredible film! Became one of my favorites for sure since watching it.
At first, I was hesitant to see the movie because of its “blackwhitedness”. I don’t know.. But the black and white color reads very nicely in this movie and it’s a very nice movie to watch.
This is the type of movie you watch curled up in your bed with your lover on a rainy day (or in my case alone on bed during summer break). The two past lovers find a comfortable place in their relationship, they laugh, they fight, make up, etc. I guess the movie is very “human” and that’s what makes it so easy to watch and enjoyable to watch.
I enjoyed it so much that I wish it was a little longer so we could spend more time with the characters. It has a little bit of the magic that made the “Before Sunrise” trilogy so great.
I’m honestly glad i came across this site because I would have never seen this movie. After watching it’s crazy to think that this movie had a script because the dialogue was so natural and seamless. When following the two main characters the highs and lows hit more closer to home because of how real their relationship seems. One of my favorites this year.
I thought this was an excellent film, but in no way would I have called this a “comedy,” even for adults. You *might* stretch it into a “feel-good” film, but that’s one heckuva shocker at the end without a content/trigger warning.
Now I will cry forever.