Through the exclusive insider contacts I have as the Bad Movie Mogul (OK, OK - this guy I know) I have had a chance to see the movie Say Yes Quickly (2004, Directed by Gregg Hale, Screenplay by Gregg Hale and Rachel Davis). SYQ is a romantic drama with a bit more depth than you may be used to seeing on the screen. Say Yes Quickly opens with the aftermath of the funeral of Hannah's father. Hannah (played by Suli Holum) does not take his death well; soon she has limited her world to her bedroom where she focuses solely on writing a blog and a novel. And, of course, her online mentor, @lien. @lien is her 'mentor', a faceless, unseen guide that reviews her work via 3 2-hour interactive chat sessions every day. After a year of this self-imposed exile to her room and her writing, Hannah's novel is finished and she eagerly awaits @lien's feedback on her draft of the entire novel. As she trys to wheedle @lien's input, Hannah's roommate Dierdre (actress Megan Pearson) discovers that Hannah is to the point of using a bedpan so she won't need to spend a minute away from @lien's chat sessions. Weirded out, Dierdre brow beats Hannah into going out.
Hannah is vocally miserable at the party until she meets Henry (played by Brandon Bales). A little flighty, a little shady, and very off-beat, Henry draws Hannah out of her shell. Before long he and Hannah have entered into a relationship that is intense physically, even if Hannah still seems emotionally detached. @lien is not pleased that Hannah is not there for each and every chat session and continues to avoid giving Hannah any response on her work. As Hannah grows more frustrated with @lien her relationship with Henry continues to grow. Finally, after the ‘accidental’ break-in of a pharmacy and a minor run-in with the law, Henry announces that he’s leaving town. In a sudden decision, Hannah joins him and convinces him to go to San Francisco, where she thinks @lien lives. Oblivious to this, Henry sets out with Hannah for the Left Coast. Unbeknownst to Hannah and Henry, the mysterious @lien has also decided to leave his home, but he is searching for Hannah….
From the opening shot Say Yes Quickly was a wonderful surprise. While I respected Gregg Hale’s work as a producer (TV’s FreakyLinks and the amazing Blair Witch Project) SYQ shows that he is just as good as a director. Hale has a great eye for a shot and blocking a scene, giving SYQ a distinctive visual style without ‘getting in the way’ of the movie. The pacing is solid with the story progressing smoothly without any awkward exposition or long ‘character establishment’ scenes to slow things down. The editing was excellent with a natural flow to the visuals and transitions. The editing also kept the pace smooth and quick with the use of split screens; used sparingly and briefly, SYQ is one of two uses of split screens that I approve of (the other being in Hulk). My only real complaint is the final act; after the wonderful buildup of the characters and situation, the climax of the film felt a bit rushed. This is probably a combination of concerns over running time and interest and my personal desire simply to see and hear more about Henry and Hannah.
The lead actors were great throughout. Bales has an easy charm and confidence that really shone through, making the oddball Henry a likeable, endearing character. Holum had the tough job of showing Hannah transition from near-total emotional detachment through to emotional maturity and did a great job. The chemistry between Holum and Bales was great, although I am sure the intensity of some of the scenes left them exhausted by the end of production. My only real complaint in the acting department was with Megan Pearson, who plays Hannah’s roomie, Dierdre; she seemed a little forced.
Say Yes Quickly is, unfortunately, in limbo. A finished product, the producers cannot find a festival or distributor for it. Based upon some of the stuff I see coming out of festivals recently, I think people are missing the boat. SYQ is a well-crafted movie with realistic dialogue, three-dimensional characters, a coherent plot, and an interesting story. Of course, these things may explain why certain festivals won’t touch it.
Normally, my recommendation would be to go see this in theaters. However, since this isn’t possible right now my recommendation is to write me and I’ll try to get you a chance to see it.
No comments:
Post a Comment