28JUL2020 {1/10 stars F}Recommend? No; Lame dialogue, uninteresting scenes, forced feeling of fake tension and drama. Romantic chick flick.

I did not choose to play this movie, but watched anyway. Part of the movie is about the conflict of whether Anderson and Lina should pursue their professional dreams that are taking them in different directions geographically or put aside those dreams and pursue a relationship with each other. This made for false drama because they didn't need to set aside their dreams. The other story line with Stephen and Friederike is typical relationship stuff along with the partner swapping.

Anderson and Lina could have simply pursued their dreams and got their careers going while having a long distance relationship. Millions of people that work in the movie industry travel around the world frequently while still having a significant other and a home where they live when they are not traveling to work on a movie. Anderson and Lina could have simply had a home together in the city where she is going to be a dancer and Anderson could travel as needed to make films. The way this plot is presented makes it dry, boring and uninteresting.

CONTENT ADVISORY: F-word in various way, sh't a few times, God and Lord's name said in vain repeatedly for various reasons as profanity and even by the self professed atheist Anderson. Boyfriend and girlfriend want to have safe sex with a condom and boyfriend goes out in desperate search of a condom. Fornication shown with the bare back of the woman facing the camera, no nudity otherwise. An abortion that was done as a result of fornication is talked about briefly and positively.

Adultery by a married man and woman passionately kissing someone that is not their spouse is shown as partner swapping by a husband/wife with a boyfriend/girlfriend. All four are drinking alcohol and dancing provocatively in a dance club, the ladies dance provocatively with the other woman's man and passionately kiss.

{1=F 2=D- 3=D 4=C- 5=C 6=B- 7=B 8=A- 9=A 10=A+}

I felt this movie had stunning visuals which is not surprising because the visuals were shot first, and then a movie, loosely based on the main characters' real life, was written later. The dialog was mediocre and clichéd, e.g., when the main character, Anderson, is jumping off a cliff he exclaims that he have never felt so alive. Another example is when Anderson's friend or agent asks him "if he got laid". The editing was instrumental in defining the mood of a scene, for example, when they were in a club the quick cuts showed the energy of the scene.The plot was somewhat predictable for the main couple but I was not sure what would happen with the secondary characters of Steve and Friederike. Alex Holdridge's acting leaves something to be desired...but he was the writer/director/editor and felt it easiest to tell his story himself.

I caught another one of Holdridge's movies Midnight Kiss several years ago and have been waiting for him to direct something new. This movie didn't disappoint. It's a unique and brilliant story following the aftermath of a missed opportunity at a great relationship. The characters are well developed and the scenery is awesome. I love quirky sort of characters that stumble through life with so little confidence and so much perspective. This movie makes you contemplate how well you take advantage of the opportunities that lay in front of you and what really matters in life. If you have someone you love, I highly recommend that you view it together.